Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!att!bellcore!rutgers!iuvax!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!uw-june!pardo
From: pardo@june.cs.washington.edu (David Keppel)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Learning Ada
Message-ID: <8954@june.cs.washington.edu>
Date: 8 Aug 89 16:41:53 GMT
References: <2561@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Reply-To: pardo@cs.washington.edu (David Keppel)
Organization: University of Washington, Computer Science, Seattle
Lines: 43

>[Ongoing discussion of Ada as a first programming language]
>[Errors: who helps the student?]

The University of Washington Department of Computer Science and
Engineering is now using Ada as the language for the introductory
programming courses.  I happen to think that this is a bad idea, but
that's just my preference.

The teaching does not follow the usual course of, say, Modula-2 or
Pascal intro courses.  For example, the students are taught about
exceptions before they are taught about records.  A first program will
often be something like `copy text file to screen' and will look
something like (pardon my lack of Ada syntax):

	file = open_file (name);
	loop COPY
	    char = get_char (file);
	    put_char (c);
	end loop COPY;

	when OPEN_FAILS =>
	    exit (some error);
	when GET_FAILS =>
	    done (normal status);
	when PUT_FAILS =>
	    exit (some other error);

There are two kinds of people to help with the programming.  There are
consultants, and there are TA's.  The consultants are on duty ``at all
hours''.  The TA's are required not only to have quiz sections, but
also to have `on duty' time at appointed hours in the terminal rooms.
As a matter of practice, consultants know some Ada, even though the
class has being taught for only one year.  Since consultants are often
CS undergrads, next year will see many more consultants who are
familiar with the bizarre errors of Ada.

I know of no other univerisities or colleges that are teaching Ada in
an introductory course.

	;-D on  ( Green pegs in software holes )  Pardo
-- 
		    pardo@cs.washington.edu
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