Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!bbx!bbxeng!scott From: scott@bbxeng.UUCP (Engineering) Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: Which language to teach first? Message-ID: <175@bbxeng.UUCP> Date: 16 Aug 89 16:26:45 GMT References: <2552@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu> <6204@hubcap.clemson.edu> <5594@ficc.uu.net> <1501@shuksan.UUCP> <228@zip.eecs.umich.edu> Reply-To: scott@bbxeng.UUCP (Scott-Engineering) Organization: Basis International Lines: 41 In article <1501@shuksan.UUCP> scott@shuksan.UUCP (Scott Moody) writes: > > ... Try explaining to you future employer that you were >taught to 'learn' other languages easially when they are looking >for expert Ada programmers. The first thing they do is send >you to an Ada course anyway. > Which employers are these? DOD contracters? My motto is: *** LIVE FREE! JUST SAY "NO" TO GOVERNMENT MONEY! *** :-) Actually, I think a first semester student should learn programming with a simple interactive BASIC interpreter. The instant feedback along with simple variables and loops will help get the fundamentals of abstract thought sharpened up. Don't worry about bad habits at this point. Once the student is able to understand what an arrays and subroutines are, then move him on to a more disciplined language. The second semester student needs to unlearn the bad habits he picked up in the first semester. Students unable to unlearn their bad habits are not fit to be professionals and they still have time to change their major (seriously). Once a student is comfortable with simple program logic, a good high level language class and an assembler class can provide complimentary points of view on the process of computing. What languages to teach? It depends on the student's plans. The government still uses FORTRAN. 'C' is hot right now in the mainstream. ADA is used for some government work. A 4GL language would be a good introduction to data base concepts. BASIC is a useful tool for quick and dirty programs. Assembly language teaches the student about CPU architecture. Take your pick. -- ------------------------------------------------------ Scott Amspoker Basis International 505-345-5232