Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!bellcore!rutgers!mailrus!husc6!ginosko!aplcen!aplvax.jhuapl.edu!genesch
From: genesch@aplvax.jhuapl.edu (Eugene Schwartzman)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Which language to teach first?
Message-ID: <2564@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Date: 8 Aug 89 15:22:53 GMT
Sender: news@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu
Reply-To: genesch@aplvax.jhuapl.edu (Eugene Schwartzman)
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Lines: 48

In article <6206@hubcap.clemson.edu> billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe,2847,) writes:
#From genesch@aplvax.jhuapl.edu (Eugene Schwartzman):
#> 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,
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

	No problem here, you can't write good programs without knowing these.

#    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.

	I agree, but I would like to emphasise that it is recommended, but
	are there any classes now that do it.  Also, what do you define as
	overview.  Just stating the fact that something like that exists and
	what it is?  Fine, I have no problems, but to do any "deep level"
	multitasking programming, I don't think is right for a beginning level
	class.  At my university, it is introduced at soph/junior year, but
	you don't really get into it until junior/senior year (depending on
	when you take the class).  If you agree with me about how much to
	go into multitasking in the beginning, then there is no use for Ada,
	if not, then I would like to know, how much do you think should be
	introduced, considering all other information that must be taught.

gene schwartzman
genesch@aplvax.jhuapl.edu
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