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From: jimb@tekcbi.UUCP (Jim Boland)
Newsgroups: net.cse,net.lang.pascal,net.college
Subject: Re: pascal ass intro. language
Message-ID: <528@tekcbi.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Feb-86 14:45:30 EST
Article-I.D.: tekcbi.528
Posted: Thu Feb 27 14:45:30 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 18:27:39 EST
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In article <497@looking.UUCP>, brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) writes:
> I hate Pascal as much as anybody who's had to implement one, but I will
> second it as the choice for an introductory course.
> 
> 
> 	Pascal was designed for teaching, and
> much of what is wrong with it is that people have forgotten this.
> (Although I will never forgive writeln myself)

>From: latham@bsdpkh.UUCP (Ken Latham)

>Ah yes.... PASCAL....

>Why PASCAL ....?

>	I think this is the real point ... The compiler has to be
>	so strict as to not let the student get too inventive ...
>	like C ...  The objective is to learn Algoritmic Representation
>	not the language.

>	Even though the language keeps a tight reigh it also has a
>	sufficient array of types ( structures, pointers, sets, etc.)
>	and an expressive enough syntax and semantics to do just about
>	anything.

>		There I admit I am a C programmer (and Computer Scientist)
>		that actually LIKES PASCAL!!!

I have had to learn and use various languages while in school (BASIC, FORTRAN)
and later on jobs.
I hve programmed in Basic, Basic+, Pascal, and C.  Each language has it's
good points and bad points.  Each has merits.  Basic is quite easy to learn
and do things.  However, I sure don't like to look at code I didn't write
or haven't seen for a year and try to figure out what the heck is going on.
With all the line numbers and goto's and gosub's, one can get lost real fast.

Then along came Pascal.  I sure didn't like it at first.  However, after 
using it for a while, I started to see real merits in it, particularly in
reviewing code at a later date or trying to see what someone else had done.
I have no real problems with that.  

Then along came C.  I like the way some things are done and I like what I
can do with it.  Yes, I currently am a C programmer, also.  However, I must
say that if I had my choices, I believe I would lean more towards Pascal.

But then, I have been programming Pascal since 1975.  If I had been programming
C since then, and started Pascal recently, I would probably prefer C.

Sorry, It doesn't work the same for Basic.  I started that around 1970.  And
nope, I would never prefer it over C or Pascal.  (Except for a few 
applications)

If you are just passing through a course, will only program for 3 months and
never do it again, Basic is probably sufficient.