(UsingTheMailingList) Pre-requisites for newcomers on Django

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

We don't seem to have a policy of dealing with mailing list posts in which the user clearly has no Python experience.

Therefore, I'd like to hear some thoughts on making an amendment to UsingTheMailingList, which states:

"""

Do you have *any* experience at all using Python, or understand the basic concepts of how Python work? 

If not, please refer to the following before attempting to use Django:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers

"""

This would be just the same principle if someone wanted to learn, say "CodeIgniter", but without having to learn PHP. It's just not gonna fly, right?

Cal

[Venkatraman S]

+1 from me.
(but i see some in IRC who do not know python but start learning it along with Django - so probably we need not be too strict about this clause?)

-V

[Brian Bouterse]

+1 for this write up.

Not that your write up suggests this, but I am cautious to turn folks away from django-users because they ask a python only question.  From a venn diagram perspective the django community is a subset of the python community.  Using Django to teach folks more about Python is a win for everyone (django, python, open source, ...).  My personal heuristic on what is off topic on django-users for python specific questions is this:  if the question is python only, if it is ultimately going to be used in a django project, then I consider that on topic.

Brian

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[Venkatraman S]

Actually, i thought about this a little more...as Brian has suggested, we shouldnt shun away 'prospective' pythonistas.
Probably, we can keep the tone a little friendly...

------------------

Do you have *any* experience at all using Python, or understand the basic concepts of how Python work? 

If not, probably you can spend some time learning the basics; this would help you a lot when you get on speed with Django.

If not, please refer to the following before attempting to use Django:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers

If you are clueless, then you all the more welcome to the community :)

----------------------------

-V

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 3:01 PM, Brian Bouterse <bmbo...@gmail.com> wrote:

+1 for this write up.

Not that your write up suggests this, but I am cautious to turn folks away from django-users because they ask a python only question.  From a venn diagram perspective the django community is a subset of the python community.  Using Django to teach folks more about Python is a win for everyone (django, python, open source, ...).  My personal heuristic on what is off topic on django-users for python specific questions is this:  if the question is python only, if it is ultimately going to be used in a django project, then I consider that on topic.

That sounds fair.

I think this clause would be mostly aimed at newcomers who are expecting they can use Django, without having to learn Python (for example, asking questions about Python which are easily answered on Google).

 

Brian

On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 9:45 AM, Venkatraman S <venk...@gmail.com> wrote:

+1 from me.
(but i see some in IRC who do not know python but start learning it along with Django - so probably we need not be too strict about this clause?)

Yeah this is a tricky one. Perhaps the same 'intuition/laziness' rules currently listed on the wiki page should apply, maybe? I.e. asking python questions is fine, as long as you follow the guidelines as shown in that page..?

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

How about this..

---

Asking question about Python related subjects is fine as long as;

* You follow the same guidelines as the rest of this document

* The question itself is somehow vaguely related to your Django project

* You understand that learning Django will involve learning Python as well.

For those who would like to read some tutorials on the basics of Python, you could try:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers

---

-V

--

[Andre Terra]

Now that sounds much better!

Cheers,

André

[Kenneth Gonsalves]

On Sun, 2011-07-10 at 14:39 +0100, Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]
wrote:

> We don't seem to have a policy of dealing with mailing list posts in
> which
> the user clearly has no Python experience.
>
> Therefore, I'd like to hear some thoughts on making an amendment to

> UsingTheMailingList<https://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/UsingTheMailingList>,

> which states:
>
> """
> Do you have *any* experience at all using Python, or understand the
> basic
> concepts of how Python work?
>
> If not, please refer to the following before attempting to use Django:
> http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Programmers
>
> """
>
> This would be just the same principle if someone wanted to learn, say
> "CodeIgniter", but without having to learn PHP. It's just not gonna
> fly,
> right?

please go ahead and add it.
--
regards
KG
http://lawgon.livejournal.com
Coimbatore LUG rox
http://ilugcbe.techstud.org/

[in...@webbricks.co.uk]

what about mentioning this as well?

http://learnpythonthehardway.org/

4 lessons through it myself, so cant rate it just yet, but some of the
more experienced people in the group might know it/rate it.

Matt

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

On 11 Jul 2011 10:07, "in...@webbricks.co.uk" <in...@webbricks.co.uk> wrote:
>
> what about mentioning this as well?
>
> http://learnpythonthehardway.org/

Havent come across this before.. perhaps you could send a review to the list of your experiences with it?

If anyone else in the list has used this ,could you post some thoughts about it please??

[Kenneth Gonsalves]

On Mon, 2011-07-11 at 10:44 +0100, Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]
wrote:

> > http://learnpythonthehardway.org/
>
> Havent come across this before.. perhaps you could send a review to
> the list
> of your experiences with it?

the person who wrote it was quite often on #django

>
> If anyone else in the list has used this ,could you post some thoughts
> about
> it please??

a bit painful, but does a good job if one has the patience not to cheat.

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

Added

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

Actually, that does look quite nice. Although I can't comment on how accurate the information is without using it myself.

KG, is the site fairly accurate??

Cal

[Kenneth Gonsalves]

On Mon, 2011-07-11 at 12:05 +0100, Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]
wrote:

> Actually, that does look quite nice. Although I can't comment on how
> accurate the information is without using it myself.
>
> KG, is the site fairly accurate??

what do you mean by 'accurate'?

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 12:12 PM, Kenneth Gonsalves <law...@thenilgiris.com> wrote:

On Mon, 2011-07-11 at 12:05 +0100, Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]
wrote:

> Actually, that does look quite nice. Although I can't comment on how
> accurate the information is without using it myself.
>
> KG, is the site fairly accurate??

what do you mean by 'accurate'?

As in, did the tutorial contain any errors / false / inaccurate information? I would check it myself, but haven't got any spare time at the moment :/ It looks very cleanly done though, so if someone could confirm the content is accurate, I'd defo say lets include it in the list.

Cal

 

--

regards
KG
http://lawgon.livejournal.com
Coimbatore LUG rox
http://ilugcbe.techstud.org/

[Kenneth Gonsalves]

On Mon, 2011-07-11 at 12:18 +0100, Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]
wrote:

> > what do you mean by 'accurate'?
> >
>
> As in, did the tutorial contain any errors / false / inaccurate
> information?
> I would check it myself, but haven't got any spare time at the
> moment :/ It
> looks very cleanly done though, so if someone could confirm the
> content is
> accurate, I'd defo say lets include it in the list.

I can confirm it is accurate.

[Eyad Al Sibai]

+!

[Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]]

On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 12:19 PM, Kenneth Gonsalves <law...@thenilgiris.com> wrote:

On Mon, 2011-07-11 at 12:18 +0100, Cal Leeming [Simplicity Media Ltd]
wrote:

> > what do you mean by 'accurate'?
> >
>
> As in, did the tutorial contain any errors / false / inaccurate
> information?
> I would check it myself, but haven't got any spare time at the
> moment :/ It
> looks very cleanly done though, so if someone could confirm the
> content is
> accurate, I'd defo say lets include it in the list.

I can confirm it is accurate.

Added.

Thanks Matt for suggesting this!

 

--

regards
KG
http://lawgon.livejournal.com
Coimbatore LUG rox
http://ilugcbe.techstud.org/