Re: [Visualpython-users] Advice: iMac

[Arthur <aj...@ix...>]

Bruce writes -

>You're correct, Arthur, that there is no required connection >between IDLE and Visual: use any editor you like. But the >VPython version of IDLE offers one-keypress interactivity, >automatic saving of files, infinite un-do, and protection >against the execution crashing, which together make the
>combination of Visual and this particular IDLE a particularly >useful package (called VPython) for use by novices who are not >experienced programmers. For that reason the VPython version of >IDLE is not a generic programmer's text editor

I think that the definitions you are providing of VPython vs. Visual are useful, and I appreciate you making them explicit.

Nonetheless, I would comment that in my experience all the attributes you mention with respect to IDLE are standard equipment for a decent programmers text editor.

And nonetheless (and a little ironically), all things being equal (which they apparently are not on Mac, I support your support of IDLE as a default environment for Visual.  For none of the reasons you state, but for the availability of a convenient interactive environment on top of its adequate text editing facilities.

Hoping, with you I am sure, that the IDLEFORK version scheduled to ship standard with Python2.3 has the Windows bug that prevents its usefulness for running Visual scripts, worked out by the final release date.

Art