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[Tutor] I want to learn to hack

Eric S. Raymond esr at snark.thyrsus.com
Thu Jul 29 16:11:09 EDT 1999 
Roger Masse <rmasse at cnri.reston.va.us> wrote:
>Errr, it seems I've inadvertantly 'cracked' opened a can of worms.
>I really just wanted to know how the Python tutors deal with such
>requests, since they are arriving with alarming frequency to
>webmaster at python.org.

I fear this is my fault.  

Some time back, I published a page called "How To Become A Hacker"
<URL:http://earthspace.net/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html">.  As a result,
I get a couple dozen semi-illiterate email notes a week from teenagers
wanting me to teach them everything I know.  Instantly.

(I tolerate this because once a month or so I get a letter from a kid
who is well-spoken, intelligent, and thoughtful.  *Those* I help.)

Earlier this year I changed the document to recommend Python as a
first language.  I still think this was a good idea, but I see it has
had an unfortunate side-effect.
-- 
		<a href="http://earthspace.net/~esr">Eric S. Raymond</a>
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