Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!math.fu-berlin.de!uniol!unido!rzsun2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de!rosun1!eibo From: eibo@rosun1.informatik.uni-hamburg.de (Eibo Thieme) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: Language Use Keywords: C,Ada,Pascal,C++,Other? Message-ID: Date: 15 Mar 91 15:01:48 GMT References: <1150@ra.MsState.Edu> Sender: news@informatik.uni-hamburg.de (Mr. News) Distribution: comp Organization: University of Hamburg, FRG Lines: 41 If I were to decide which language to use, especially to start with I would consider the following objectives: * Immediate Reward "Write down a few lines of code and watch things happen." Don't let them be bored by extensive syntax-checking or mystical compiler usage. * Being Modern "Look, I can do fancy windows too." Beginners want their programs to be as pleasing to the eye as those shiny products they see on the market. * Essential Programming "The algorithm was in the books but doing the interface took me a week." Most of real world applications seem to be 90% user-interface, students instinctively try to adapt to this situation. * Software Engineering "When I saw the other group understood our code I knew it was worth the effort." Systematic construction of software is a far higher good than freaky code dabbling. Don't use a language which invites "creativity". * Reliable Software "I was dumbfounded when the compiler found my conceptual glitch." Beginners should learn to appreciate extensive syntax-checking, type-checking, etc. I cannot think of any small set of languages taking into account all these constraints and there will be even more to add to the list. Sorry, but I would like an answer too. eibo -- eibo Thieme * FB Informatik eibo@fbihh.informatik.uni-hamburg.de * Universitaet Hamburg ..!uunet!mcsun!unido!fbihh!eibo * Schlueterstr. 70 PHONE: +40 4123-5660 * D-2000 Hamburg 13 (FRG)