Definition of pure function

[Jbarget]

If this workshop is aimed at beginners I think the one of the first things should be a definition/contextual description of a pure function.

One thing we've found in Nazareth is that we need to be wary of vocabulary we use when giving projects/workshops/morning challenges to students who don't speak English as their first language

[Jbarget]

hey hey just seen the glossary at the bottom but would still stand by the idea that it should be at the top and i feel the word "Glossary" is a bit inaccessible for non-English speakers

[Jwhiles]

I had the glossary at the top to begin with - and I ended up moving it down because I was concerned about immediately throwing terminology at people.

Do you think it's best to change it back? - an alternative to glossary would be great too.

[jsms90]

@finnhodgkin with FAC11?

"Is everyone ok with what a pure function is?"

@Jwhiles I think a one-liner that describes what you mean by "pure" would be good :+1: i.e. no mutation, no side effects

There were still questions about what is and what isn't a pure function once FAC11 had finished the workshop

[Jbarget]

ah sorry i didnt reply @Jwhiles, it must have slipped through the net. To a beginner/someone who english isnt a first language mutation and side-effects are likely to be confusing terms as well

[Jwhiles]

@jsms90 @Jbarget @oliverjam I'm gonna try and respond to all the issues over the next few days. I'll probably do some fairly major changes - as I think I know a lot more know than when I first wrote this.

It would be good if you could all have a look at my proposed changes before I merge them in etc :)

ta.

[oliverjam]

@Jwhiles Awesome, thanks. If it helps I explained pure functions to FAC11 as something like this: "Pure functions are functions that don't rely on anything outside themselves. They take an input and return an output without affecting anything else"

[jsms90]

@Jwhiles The trouble is that mentors from the other campuses (Nazarth - @RQ16 & @m4v15) are delivering testing week soon and it's really difficult to feel prepared if the workshop changes drastically at the last minute. That shouldn't stop improvements from being made. It's just that communication is key.

If you're thinking of making major changes, can I just request that you raise issues with a good level of detail about what you're intending to change & that you communicate with those mentors about whether they're comfortable with the intended changes being made before this material gets delivered again on Monday?