On Dec 26, 10:11 am, Nathan Rice <nathan.alexander.r...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 9:52 AM, Rick Johnson > > > > > > > > > > <rantingrickjohn...@gmail.com> wrote: > > On Dec 25, 9:27 pm, Chris Angelico <ros...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 4:44 AM, Rick Johnson > >> > [...] > >> Conversely, why write an IDE into IDLE when perfectly-good IDEs > >> already exist? I don't use IDLE for development per se; it's for > >> interactive Python execution, but not editing of source files. > > > I believe the answer is two fold: > > > 1. Including an IDE like IDLE into the Python distro helps noobs to > > get started quickly without needing to traverse a gauntlet of unknown > > IDEs on their own. If later they find something that they feel is more > > appropriate; so be it. > > > 2. (and most important to me... IDLE is written in Python using the > > Tkinter GUI (which ships with python also). Therefore, the source code > > for IDLE can be a GREAT teaching resource for how to write > > professional Tkinter applications. I KNOW THE CURRENT SOURCE SUCKS! > > However, we could change that. > > > So, with those points being covered, i believe IDLE is very important > > to the Python community and could be useful to more people IF we clean > > it up a bit. It's really a great little IDE with even greater > > potential. If Guido would just say something (or at least some of the > > top Pythionistas (Hettinger i am looking at you!)) this community > > might work together to fix this problem. > > Not everyone who has Python installed wants to learn the language.
I'll admit you make a very valid point. But since "they" are not familiar with the language, what they don't know cannot hurt them. Although i do see a need to keep the core distro small. If we remove IDLE then we face the next big question... Should we remove Tkinter? > I > do think that a "learning" distro that has a lot of core tools > pre-installed, and ships with some tutorials, would be a decent idea. > Sort of like Enthought for new users :) This is the kind of inventiveness i have been looking for in this group. I think this is a great idea! > I don't feel IDLE is worth salvaging though. Agreed. Not in it's current state anyway. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
