xturtle.py - extended turtle graphics for Python with Tkinter

NEW! Version 0.95a0.01 (March 16th 2008) NEW!

intro

xturtle.py is a new turtle graphics module, which could (or should?) replace the old turtle.py - if not in python's standard distribution so at least in practical work. ;-)

It's intended to be used in those educational situations, where an important requirement is EASY ACCESS TO GRAPHICS.

I designed it on the basis of many years of teaching introductory courses into programming in Austrian highschools. IMHO turtle graphics is an excellent means for visualizing programming concepts from the very beginning to rather advanced concepts. (This was the reason, why I used turtle graphics as the central tool for my book "Python für Kids", although python's original turtle.py module has rather limited capabilities.)

Therefore I felt the need to have a better one at hand.

Now (and here) you can download the result of my work, have a look at it, test it and discuss it.

Take it as a proposal.

You may have a first look at it via a (rather primitive) demoViewer, which is contained in the package and gives easy access to a set of 25+ demoscripts.

You can find a more detailed description about the module's features on the features page.

My expectations on you are:

• download xturtle.zip, view the examples, try it out

• give feedback, especially about bugs, missing or superfluous features etc.

• give feedback about compatibility problems with turtle.py

• if possible, give feedback about classroom use.

• I've tried to give a rather elaborate and full documentation (and I have borrowed parts of the docs of turtle.py as far as possible). But my English certainly lacks correctness and somtimes may be somewhat clumsy. If you think, that you could contribute to the enhancement of docstrings and/or documentation, please feel free to do so.

  Feedback please to Gregor Lingl: glingl@aon.at

• Have fun!

My intentions concerning xturtle.py are:

• amending the docs

• fixing bugs, as far as they will be reported

• discuss the set of commands and features (with the user community) and revise it if necessary

• suggest to replace turtle.py by xturtle.py in Python's standard distribution - if this were supported by the user community. Alas I'm not sure whom to ask!? Perhaps someone in charge for it reads this page ;-)

• last (but not least): I'll give a talk on xturtle.py at Europython 2006 (education track) on July, 5th.

• very last: ask Guido if he'd like to implement tail recursion optimization for Python 3000 ;)