On 27/11/2018 00:18, Avi Gross wrote: > But in watching, I conclude that a subset of the requests come from people > who are some form of early students and only aware of selected aspects of > the language.
One of the challenges of this list is identifying the level of the requester. We get several general categories: 1) Professional programmers just starting with Python. Often with a specific project and need a rapid run up the learning curve. They know all about code and tools they just need to know how Python does it. 2a) Academic beginners - those learning Python on a course. These often are not very interested in learning about the theoretical side of things, or whether there is another way to tackle the problem, they simply want to get their homework done. Knowledge level ranges from junior school to under-grad CS courses. 2b) Advanced students (eg. PhD etc) who may or may not have previous programming experience but typically need help using Python for a specific aim. These are often like a cross between 1 and 2a. They know all about their domain but possibly have little CS knowledge/experience. They often assume that NumPy/SciPy are part of the standard library and that most Python users will know them. 3) Hobbyist programmers - those who learn for fun, maybe just out of curiosity or to extend some other skill set - such as working on the Raspberry Pi or with a package like Blender. These can range from youngsters(pre teen) to seniors(70+). They usually have zero CS knowledge and are varied in their enthusiasm for learning the background principles. We need to identify the skill and knowledge level and learning goals of each individual and take that into account in our responses. Figuring that out is often harder than answering the immediate question! We just need to remember that they all have the same right to be here and there are no stupid questions. (Although they may need some help to ask the right question!) -- Alan G Author of the Learn to Program web site http://www.alan-g.me.uk/ http://www.amazon.com/author/alan_gauld Follow my photo-blog on Flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
