Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!jvnca!njitsc1!argus!ken
From: ken@argus.UUCP (Kenneth Ng)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: first language
Message-ID: <1016@argus.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Aug-87 21:02:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: argus.1016
Posted: Fri Aug 21 21:02:55 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Aug-87 08:22:16 EDT
References: <405@ndsuvax.UUCP> <1010@argus.UUCP> <290@rruxa.UUCP>
Organization: NJ Instit. of Tech: TEIES Project
Lines: 42

In article <290@rruxa.UUCP>, gwl@rruxa.UUCP (George W. Leach) writes:
> In article <1010@argus.UUCP>, ken@argus.UUCP writes:
> > I'd like to recommend the REXX language for beginners.  It's got
> > a very simple data structure, pascal like syntax, and was designed
> > from the beginning to be a readable language, unlike C and Lisp.
[edit]
>   The idea is to use a simple tool
> to learn the fundamentals of problem solving with computers, not to
> learn all of the particulars of a given language's syntax.
[edit]
> The language was simple enough that the bulk of
> the course was devoted to problem solving with the simple tool.

Agreed (kinda (:->), a beginning language should be rather simple
to avoid confusing a beginner excessively.  That's why a language
like REXX is recommended.  REXX has one data type: STRING. Can it
get any easier?  If the string contains a numbers only, you can add
subtract, multiply and divide the strings.  If you do a simple
compare with '=', the strings 'stuff', ' stuff', and 'stuff ' are
equilivant.  If you want you can do an exact compare with '=='.

REXX is a context sensitive language, therefore the user doesn't have
the unneeded complication of knowing about reserved words.  (Granted
this can be used to make *VERY* confusing programs if one tries hard
enough.)  

REXX is definitely not a solve all for all language.  While one can
define arrays, one cannot define structures.  One can design lists
of strings if really needed, but it gets complicated and starts sounding
like LISP.  Also the nature of the language makes compilers difficult,
but not impossible.  But for a beginner language I would place it above
most languages, even Ada (yes you heard that right Reggie).
> > Kenneth Ng: Post office: NJIT - CCCC, Newark New Jersey  07102
> George W. Leach
> UUCP:  ..!bellcore!indra!reggie
> ARPA:  reggie%njit-eies.MAILNET@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA



Kenneth Ng: Post office: NJIT - CCCC, Newark New Jersey  07102
uucp !ihnp4!allegra!bellcore!argus!ken *** NOT ken@bellcore.uucp ***
bitnet(prefered) ken@orion.bitnet