Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!cmcl2!brl-adm!umd5!ames!mailrus!umix!uunet!tektronix!reed!percival!littlei!ogcvax!pase From: pase@ogcvax.UUCP (Douglas M. Pase) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: American Programmer Message-ID: <1602@ogcvax.UUCP> Date: 25 Mar 88 18:49:25 GMT References: <555@psu-cs.UUCP> <1434@ur-tut.UUCP> <3415@bunker.UUCP> <5359@utah-cs.UUCP> <36845UH2@PSUVM> Reply-To: pase@ogcvax.UUCP (Douglas M. Pase) Organization: Oregon Graduate Center, Beaverton, OR Lines: 26 Posted: Fri Mar 25 10:49:25 1988 In article <36845UH2@PSUVM> UH2@PSUVM.BITNET (Lee Sailer) writes: >[...] Imagine this freshman programming >course---start with data flow diagrams, structure charts, and walk-throughs--- >add egoless programming---teach symbolic debuggers and syntax directed editors >from day one. This sounds like it might be a reasonable idea. There is, however, at least one difficulty which must be overcome. Walk throughs and egoless programming are targeted for large, multi-person projects. Beginning course assignments generally need to be geared towards small, single person programs. My own personal opinion is that the earliest courses need to familiarize students with the machine, languages, and tools. Many freshmen still think of computers as black boxes where wonderous things are done by magic. Structured programming can certainly be taught to students at this level. Flow diagrams, structure charts, and symbolic debuggers are all appropriate here. Syntax directed editors are a two-edged sword and might be saved for later. Once they become familiar with the nature of the computer -- they see what a language is, they understand how programs work -- teach them hard core software engineering, and insist they use it! I know you all have been asking for my opinion on this, and there, at last, you have it! -- Doug Pase -- ...ucbvax!tektronix!ogcvax!pase or pase@cse.ogc.edu (CSNet)