[gkoberger]

Interesting, however I feel like learning to code in a browser (even if it's JavaScript) doesn't work.

Sure, you may learn how to do a for loop or how variables work. But, you don't learn how to actually use the language. Setting up a development environment, and understanding how everything is connected is much more important.

Let's say you ace everything here, on CodeAcademy, etc. You still can't actually build anything.

(For more on this, see this article from HN a few days ago: http://blog.zackshapiro.com/want-to-learn-to-code-start-here)

[metaphorm]

this kind of thing is a good resource for people who already know how to code, but need a fast and elegant syntax guide. its not useful for teaching beginners because, as you've said, it doesn't deal with the tool chain or project organization, etc. but if you know Ruby and want to learn Python, this is a great resource.

[doktrin]

Agreed. I'm actually learning Python at the moment (coming from Ruby & Java), and am finding this useful. Generally I don't think too highly of coding in a browser.

[lostnet]

The next step would be an ipython notebook verses showing the student the debugger console with prepopulated state in Javascript.. In fact, later lessons as modules to interact with in a notebook would be kind of cool.

I really don't buy the "you have to own a car to drive one arguments" and the whole point of modern software engineering is to pull you away from the assumption of full system control and the ability to make problems go away with shell skills.

But, I would like more immediate source code management integration. That is the essential reality I always see lacking..

A non-programmer that understood git basics would be more helpful to me as a colleague than a competent programmer that doesn't.

[speedyrev]

I tend to disagree. It works in a sense that it can take a person with no knowledge of the syntax and flow of a language and remove some of the fear of getting started. I think it is a great non-intimidating way to get an overview of a language. Yes, they are going to need more instruction, but it's a start.

[kaiwren]

We're building our way up to this. For now, we are focussing on helping more people teach how to think in a particular language.

We'll get to the rest fairly quickly, though that would likely be in the form of screencasts.

PS: I'm on the CodeMonk team, the folks that are behind PythonMonk.com and RubyMonk.com