Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!xlned.com!feeder3.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed4.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <rosuav@gmail.com>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.001
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'languages,': 0.04; 'interpreter': 0.05; 'subject:Python': 0.06; "subject:' ": 0.07; 'latter': 0.09; 'subject:Does': 0.09; 'windows,': 0.09; 'python': 0.11; '*should*': 0.16; '6:30': 0.16; 'command-line': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'subject:programming': 0.16; 'tab': 0.16; 'sat,': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'aug': 0.22; 'manual': 0.22; 'initial': 0.24; 'least': 0.26; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'up.': 0.33; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'idle': 0.36; 'largely': 0.36; 'doing': 0.36; 'useful': 0.36; 'subject:?': 0.36; 'should': 0.36; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.38; 'pm,': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; "you're": 0.61; 'therefore': 0.72; 'completion': 0.78; '2013': 0.98
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=oud4yQqsdFHnOr4V3ulp5/LXUf0PobzL3NrZb2oIjmM=; b=eRpVlK+k72fh1ZCegoJrQaTz/0CKB5UjBCLOk0C1yX6Q8m237ZdhfMiu1ivfXeokSI 3utfKxEBVUl1vTCAxbdzwIQRnWPitpPcdLjgyYWA2eabE/HyEUlEYQONa/Cf6Xbzxm+K 21esyaHHlkaT20ISvl2ccHVnPfwnHuw/1h16jImZfBPS9+TwZesFosZJSfXKL8LUJCS5 Idw3qLEy45rKUkKTH/QqP2WoZFcVIXPE3tx4KMQPs881UJXHbYHtWyY+HyH56fYWOsKq NwowbYxRv+7xdkic4k4W3jK+lAjfFdU3uHn7yRLfYv9xPUWHH+lOJb1O0UcqLiIBtGi6 J/nQ==
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Received: by 10.58.187.4 with SMTP id fo4mr3744237vec.55.1375551586437; Sat, 03 Aug 2013 10:39:46 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <a4b05e37-ffa3-48ab-b49d-4a41b152b5e9@googlegroups.com>
References: <6b1769f8-222b-4953-99c8-a1d73cec3d60@googlegroups.com> <a4b05e37-ffa3-48ab-b49d-4a41b152b5e9@googlegroups.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2013 18:39:46 +0100
Subject: Re: Does Python 'enable' poke and hope programming?
From: Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com>
To: python-list@python.org
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/>
List-Post: <mailto:python-list@python.org>
List-Help: <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.164.1375551597.1251.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 13
NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace: 1375551597 news.xs4all.nl 15913 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:58414
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:51873

On Sat, Aug 3, 2013 at 6:30 PM, CM <cmpython@gmail.com> wrote:
> In sum:  experimentation is for when you don't know what you're doing and=
 there is no manual; but, after the initial learning time, you *should* kno=
w what you're doing and you should have the manual handy, and therefore the=
 time for experimentation is largely over.


Yet with fast turnaround interactive languages, the interpreter IS
part of the manual. Keeping IDLE (I prefer it to command-line Python
on Windows, as the latter lacks GNU readline ergo no tab completion
etc) handy is at least as useful as keeping the manual up.

ChrisA