Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!pacbell!ames!mailrus!iuvax!cica!gatech!hubcap!billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu
From: billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe,2847,)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Which language to teach first?
Message-ID: <6206@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 7 Aug 89 21:59:50 GMT
References: <2551@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Reply-To: billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu
Lines: 29

From genesch@aplvax.jhuapl.edu (Eugene Schwartzman):
> #% I am about to second that. [...] I would choose a language that 
> #% supported the most important concepts for that type of programs: 
> #% safety, modularity and reuseability. 
> #
> #   I third this; Ada is definitely the way to go.  And add to that
> #   list "multitasking capabilities"!!!  
> 
> Wonderful!!!  Could you please explain to me what beginning level course will
> teach "multitasking capabilities"?  

    Sure.  Observe CACM, V32, #1 (January 1989), the article entitled 
    "Computing as a Discipline",  which gives the final report of the 
    Task Force on the Core of Computer Science.  Page 10:

       The task force was given three general charges...

          3. Give a detailed example of an introductory course...

    Their recommended topics for the first course include fundamental
    algorithm concepts, data structures and abstraction, and PARALLEL
    COMPUTATION.  Students obviously will have to do advanced work in
    this area beyond what is found in an introductory course, but an
    early overview of what multitasking is, combined with an indication
    that highly motivated students can use Ada to explore these concepts,
    is highly appropriate.


    Bill Wolfe, wtwolfe@hubcap.clemson.edu