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From: laman@sdcsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: Discouraging "GOTO"s in introductory computer courses
Message-ID: <820@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-May-84 13:39:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.820
Posted: Wed May 23 13:39:22 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 25-May-84 00:55:10 EDT
Organization: EECS Dept. U.C. San Diego
Lines: 17

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I strongly agree about discouraging the use of GOTOs in an introductory
computer course.  I taught GOTOs on (LITERALLY !) the last day of class.
I reminded them that we NEVER used them in class and of all the different
programs and algorithms we wrote with out them.  The also believe that there
are situations where using GOTOs can make code clearer than by not using them
(breaking out of certain multi-loops, error conditions where error recovery
 is desired).

I am FIRMLY convinced that the delaying of GOTOs help my students to be
better programmers in that they will be more likely to carefully think out
the problem, and thus end up with a program that solves the problem in a more
coherent manner (because of a better understanding of the ENTIRE situation).

			Mike Laman
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