At 1:39 PM -0800 2/9/06, Bill Janssen wrote: >Great idea, Rodney. I think we probably need a number of pages like >this, kind of an FAQ set. I think the main page should just cover one >or two things (how to run python, how to upgrade), and lots of >pointers to these pages. Each of these should be fairly clear, with >pointers off to more complicated explanations. > >Here's the start of a list: > >1) What's the difference between "python" and "pythonw"? >2) What's the advantage of upgrading? >3) What do I do if I want to use pre-built packages? >4) How do I use the Apple GUI toolkit from Python? >5) How do I use Apple Events from Python? >6) How do I build a real Mac application written in Python? >7) How do I install extra modules, like PIL, for the system Python? >8) What IDE's are available, and what are their relative merits?
Bill, You seem to have a good handle on what is needed to get new users involved in working with Python on the Mac. Even some of the questions that you list here might be a little too complex for new users. For example, question 3 probably needs to state something about all of the pre-built packages that are available before asking how to use them. Question 6 needs to at least talk about what is involved if the user wants this application to run on multiple platforms, not just Mac. For example, can they build on the Mac and the distribute on other platforms? Or do you have to build on each platform? It is likely that your idea of pointing to more complicated explanations could take care of each of kind of points that I'm raising. My key idea that I'm trying to point out is that for such a list to be useful to beginners, it needs to not make so many assumptions about what they know. An introductory paragraph in each question can help out quite a bit. For example, is it actually safe to assume that a new user even knows what the Apple GUI toolkit is? A sentence or two talking about the great UI functionality that Apple makes available and that it can be accessed from Python should be there before launching into an explanation of how to actually do so. Remember, this should serve people who haven't programmed before as well as people who have but are just new to Python. -Rodney _______________________________________________ Pythonmac-SIG maillist - Pythonmac-SIG@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pythonmac-sig
