Question

Mechanical MOOC starting Nov. 26, 2012: Will it matter which version 2.7 or 3.2 we use? The "Think Like a Computer Scientist" docs seem to suggest 2.7 is the plan.

I looked further. If we follow the outline of the MIT 6.189 course, it looks like the answer is "neither." That course intro says we are to use 2.6.

I've been piddling around with 3.2 so I'll need to rework some skills, I guess.

Anybody know for sure?

Answer 1

there are some annoying differences between 2.x and 3.x - raw_input is gone in 3.x for example, and the tutorials, books largely assume 2.x. you can usually write code that works in both, although sometimes a little aggravating.

Answer 2

Thanks, snark. I do hope that the next few prep weeks before the launch on the 26th will reveal the details for "our" version of the course.

Answer 3

one of the changes that will come up most quickly is that the print function has changed slightly - in 2.6 and 2.7, you can call print x, but in 3.2 you call print(x). However, you can use the 3.2 syntax in earlier versions, but the directions and examples will look different.

Answer 4

Thanks, thoughtcrimes, that gives me some hope that I can possibly continue to expand my skills within the course framework, while using 3.2. As it turns out, I do have both 2.7 and 3.2 installed. It does not look like 2.6 is available from the Kubuntu package manager.

I think I'm ready to go.

Answer 5

Thanks all for jumping in here. @algotruneman, the course materials on the MIT site are written to 2.6, Codecademy is written to 2.7. You can learn with any version, but you have to be willing to translate the differences. We suggest 2.6 or 2.7.

Answer 6

Since obviously 3.x is the future, I’m using 2.7, because it is basically a continuation of 2.x, but with a (limited) 3.x forward compatibility layer.

e.g. I chose to use the 3.x preferred version to call `print()` and using `//` for integer division, since a) these are valid already in 2.x and b) are the only valid options in 3.x

Answer 7

Thanks to all who have made an effort to calm my nerves. I appreciate the guidance about using 2.6/2.7 and 3.2.