[_corbett]

I also once took the course on which this book is based at MIT. A programmer by trade at the time, I found out a bit more about my learning style. Namely, I was able to relatively easily complete the assignments without developing a very deep understanding of classical mechanics along the way. It was only later in physics graduate school, and after semesters of doing calculations by hand, that I was able to put my previous work in a larger context. I'd love to revisit the course with that new perspective and a bit more time than that haggered MIT student of yore. In summary I'd echo another poster's comment that "it's liberating to have unambiguous notation but it doesn't replace intuition".