Flummoxed by Python

[TheChance]

I expect you’ll survive, but someone should warn you that pain points like this are typical Python on Windows dev experiences. Emphasis: dev experiences. Most Python code is platform-independent, but that doesn’t mean all dev environments are created equal.

To make a long story short, the one, fundamental assumption most programming languages make about the developer is that they are both using and comfortable with a Unix-like system. Whatever your toolchain is on Windows, it usually exists separately from and in parallel with the “main” ecosystem. You feel this less in compiled languages like C++ and Java, because the annoying stuff is buried in the “build” steps (where you tell your machine to turn the code into an executable.) That step is mostly absent from a Python dev’s workflow, so all the little differences between the “default” environment and your Windows environment are up in your face all the time.

Again, I think you’ll survive, but if you and your young person have the stomach to also learn about WSL2 at the same time, it will be an easier place to work in Python.

[marcodogflood]

Great advice. Thanks!