Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site burl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!rcj From: rcj@burl.UUCP (Curtis Jackson) Newsgroups: net.cse Subject: Re: various recently-discussed topics Message-ID: <1116@burl.UUCP> Date: Sun, 9-Mar-86 12:13:50 EST Article-I.D.: burl.1116 Posted: Sun Mar 9 12:13:50 1986 Date-Received: Mon, 10-Mar-86 00:24:56 EST References: <1092@burl.UUCP> <1093@burl.UUCP> <117@andromeda.UUCP> Reply-To: rcj@burl.UUCP (Curtis Jackson) Distribution: net Organization: AT&T Technologies, Burlington NC Lines: 30 Summary: In article <117@andromeda.UUCP> marco@andromeda.UUCP (the wharf rat) writes: >In article <1093@burl.UUCP>, rcj@burl.UUCP (Curtis Jackson) writes: >> >> d) I started with FORTRAN my first semester. Then came summer, and a co-op >> job where I learned HPL, HP-Basic, and Tektronix Basic. Then PASCAL, >> COBOL, and MACRO-11, among others. I was ready for anything. Then >> came my intro to C -- our Minicomputers I prof told us to write a simple >> sleep queue scheduler/manager in C, compile it into Unix assembler on >> Finally, someone got up enough guts to raise their hand and tell him that >>........ >> none of us knew C (it wasn't taught at the university). He said, "Oh, yes, >> get this book [holding up a copy of K&R] from the bookstore, $12. You >> have 2 weeks." Now THAT is the way to teach a computer language! > > Why is that the way to learn a language ? Admittedly, you can >pick up a new language in a few weeks, but to learn a new language >*and* complete tricky projects at the same time seems a bit much. *sigh*, I keep forgetting this is the USENET, and you can't see the twinkle in my eye or hear the lilt of my voice. Let me restate the above more appropriately: ;-) Now THAT is the way to teach a computer language! ;-) -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3313 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd mgnetp ]!burl!rcj ...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua masscomp ]!clyde!rcj