Flag the python/python3 command-name substitution once, prominently, in Module 1 #31

New Issue

2026-06-22T14:23:52-04:00

claude commented

2026-06-22 14:23:52 -04:00

Problem

Module 1's prereq check hedges ("python --version or python3 --version"), tacitly acknowledging the command name varies, but every command then hardcodes python cli.py …. On modern macOS (no python since 12.3) and default Debian/Ubuntu there is no python on PATH. The first real command ("python cli.py add …") fails with "command not found" for a large share of the any-OS audience even though their Python is fine, and the prose never tells them to substitute python3. (M4's verify.sh already auto-detects python3, showing the authors know the name varies.)

Evidence

modules/01-the-copy-paste-problem/README.md line 137: "Python 3.10 or newer (python --version or python3 --version to check)"; then lines 158-159: python cli.py add … / python cli.py list. Same form in M2 (~lines 186, 205), M4, M6 (~lines 276-314). python3 appears in the prose only in the M1 check line.

Why it matters

The course's first hands-on command can fail for a real slice of the any-OS audience at the worst moment for first impressions — against the any-OS/honesty promises.

Proposed change

After the version check in Module 1, add one prominent line: "Whichever of python / python3 printed a 3.10+ version is the command to use everywhere in this course — if python isn't found, use python3." Keep the READMEs on python, but flag the substitution once.

Acceptance criteria

Module 1 explicitly tells the reader to substitute python3 where python is absent, once and prominently.
No change needed to every command; the substitution note covers them.

Affected files

modules/01-the-copy-paste-problem/README.md

References

Source finding F11 (realVotes 3/3). Touches locked exemplar Module 1 — preserve voice. Related: F28 (security-scan.sh bare python).

Filed from an adversarial multi-agent course review (217 raw findings → 54 adversarially-verified survivors). Scoped for manual review; intentionally not auto-assigned to an agent.

## Problem Module 1's prereq check hedges ("`python --version` or `python3 --version`"), tacitly acknowledging the command name varies, but every command then hardcodes `python cli.py …`. On modern macOS (no `python` since 12.3) and default Debian/Ubuntu there is no `python` on PATH. The first real command ("`python cli.py add …`") fails with "command not found" for a large share of the any-OS audience even though their Python is fine, and the prose never tells them to substitute `python3`. (M4's `verify.sh` already auto-detects `python3`, showing the authors know the name varies.) ## Evidence `modules/01-the-copy-paste-problem/README.md` line 137: "Python 3.10 or newer (`python --version` or `python3 --version` to check)"; then lines 158-159: `python cli.py add …` / `python cli.py list`. Same form in M2 (~lines 186, 205), M4, M6 (~lines 276-314). `python3` appears in the prose only in the M1 check line. ## Why it matters The course's first hands-on command can fail for a real slice of the any-OS audience at the worst moment for first impressions — against the any-OS/honesty promises. ## Proposed change After the version check in Module 1, add one prominent line: "Whichever of `python` / `python3` printed a 3.10+ version is the command to use everywhere in this course — if `python` isn't found, use `python3`." Keep the READMEs on `python`, but flag the substitution once. ## Acceptance criteria - [ ] Module 1 explicitly tells the reader to substitute `python3` where `python` is absent, once and prominently. - [ ] No change needed to every command; the substitution note covers them. ## Affected files - `modules/01-the-copy-paste-problem/README.md` ## References Source finding F11 (realVotes 3/3). Touches locked exemplar Module 1 — preserve voice. Related: F28 (security-scan.sh bare `python`). --- *Filed from an adversarial multi-agent course review (217 raw findings → 54 adversarially-verified survivors). Scoped for manual review; intentionally not auto-assigned to an agent.*