[Verba] Environment variables and Club projects

[Stuart D. Gathman]

On Sun, 1 Jan 2006, Taylor Solomon wrote:

> regarding if everyone knows environment variables, I think that it  
> should be explained. An environment variable is a way for the user to  
> define certain folders on the system as places where the program can  
> find stuff. That's my impression of what it is. I don't know if it is  
> the right one. Is it?

An environment variable is a name with a text value.  On Unix (and OSX) 
and Windows, environment variables are inherited by child processes.
When a child process changes an environment variable, it doesn't change
the parent.  On Unix (and OSX), you can list the environment variables
of the current shell with the "env" command.  On Windows, it used to
be "set", but I haven't kept up.

If the above didn't enlighten you, don't worry about it.  The only thing
you need to know is that sometimes we might tell you to adjust the
operation of a program (like Python or your editor) by setting
an environment variable.

> I think that it would be too difficult to create a program that does  
> verbs as well as nouns.

Yes, the Latin dictionary is too difficult for a first project.  In
addition to the mini projects in the tutorials, I will suggest that
students create their own version of one or more of these games:

hangman
hammurabi
hunt the wumpus
mastermind / bolts & cliats

Then we can move on to the Latin dictionary, or other practical project.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.