Python on a pen drive?

[Jimmey]

Hey there;

I am about to begin the programming module on my computing course, which, at this college, is done in Pascal, Delphi, and Access.

Many may not aggree, but these three names make me shudder, and I really couldn't bare to make a large application using these three.
And so I asked if I could do it in Python.

I've been told that I could, but there's no way that I could have the intepreter on any college computer, or on my personal drive in college.

I am asking weather it'd be possible to install the Windows version of Python onto a USB pen drive, and, plug it into a computer at school, write my scripts in school, and intepret them with the interpretter installed on the pen drive? Could that work?

Thanks in advance

[greenway]

First of all.... may I say: WURGH!!!! Seriously, Pascal... OK. Delphi... yeah, maybe... but Access as a serious database back-end?!?! Whatever,... not quite sure about the size of the Windows interpreter but did you try installing it to some usb device? It shouldn't be that big a problem...

[steve.horsley]

This worries me. Although Pascal and Delphi might be somewhat archaic, and Access total lunacy, but they are the chosen subjects for your course. They will teach you the findamentals of programming and of databases. If you ignore them and choose Python instead, how are your tutors who may not know the Python language going to be able to assess your work? How are you going to answer the questions (on Pascal, Delphi and Access) in your exam papers? I think you need to consider very carefully before deciding to go that far out on a limb.

What were you planning to use for a Python GUI and database?

As for runing the python interpreter without installing it first, I have my doubts. You had best try it at home.

I would suggest that you go with the flow, learn the principles, and transfer the skills you learn to Python later or outside of class. But then, I failed my CS module at Manchester (PDP-11 assembler and Fortran) so who am I to talk?

[Revert]

I'm not sure about how smart it is using a language not in the curriculum, but this (http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/movpy/) seems to be what you're looking for.

[Jimmey]

Yeha, I had thought about it for a long time. I'd wanted to use Python over Pascal and Delphi for many reasons.

The first being that, on the first module of the course, we had to design a snooker club booking system. Before that, we'd been programming GUI-less, simple programs with Pascal - Which I was happy with. But the introduction of Delphi took my enthusiasm right away, and without enthusiasm, I doubt I'd do very well.

The second being that, on the booking system, we where basically handed sheets, and told to copy code from them. I didn't like that. I want to do stuff myself.

Third - Pascal don't look nice :(

Fourth - With Ubuntu at home, and used Python for over a year now, I'd much prefer it.

I'll speak more with my teacher about it though.

[Jimmey]

Hey, I couldn't find a download link for movable Python, anyone got a working one?

[Lord Illidan]

I wish you luck on your quest. I am in a similar predicament. Though I am not forced to use Pascal, I want to use C++, but the teacher doesn't know it, but she's not going to correct it, so........
That said, I am doing my project in C++ all the way...a good learning experience. Out of schools, Pascal is not even being used anymore.

However, don't forget that Python isn't as widely known as C++ or Pascal (in schools, at least), so think this through carefully..

Now, i dunno why you can't install python (my teacher let me install kubuntu on the computer I use), but can you use Slax, a mini live cd? I'd suggest Ubuntu Live, but it is slow.

[jerome bettis]

pascal is a great first language to learn. the whole point of pascal was to teach programming, not write great windows apps or anything remotely useful.

python on the other hand is the most hacked together language i've ever seen. i like it and it has some nice stuff, but it's not very uniform in general (syntax is nice but lots of weird stuff, object model is a mess etc). i could see myself getting into bad habits if it were the first one i learned.

i've never even seen delphi though so that might shift the argument the other way, wxpython is great to work with.

[Revert]

Hey, I couldn't find a download link for movable Python, anyone got a working one?

The current version doesn't seem to be available yet. Also, there appears to be a small fee.