Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!decwrl!decvax!dartvax!eleazar!hugo
From: hugo@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU (Peter Su)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: What is CS? (Was re First languages)
Message-ID: <8538@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU>
Date: 4 Apr 88 13:01:02 GMT
References: <3684@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> <568@abcom.ATT.COM> <607@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU>
Reply-To: hugo@eleazar.Dartmouth.EDU (Peter Su)
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 36

In article <607@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> jefu@pawl23.pawl.rpi.edu (Jeffrey Putnam) writes:
>But then, i am coming to believe that a programming course should be
>required of _all_ students - including humanities students and all. 
>Computers are increasingly common in all disciplines and workplaces and
>a good programming course is the best way to understand the problems and
>advantages of computer use.
>

At CMU, where I was an undergrad, there was a programming course that all students
had to take, though there were several versions of it.  It was basically simple
programming and data structures in Pascal. 

There are a few reasons why I didn't think it was appropriate.  The first is kind
of irrelevant, but I think an interpreted language with simpler syntax, like LISP
or SCHEME should be used in intro classes because then you can concentrate on
progrmaming instead of the subtle nuances of Pascal parameter passing semantics.

But, aside from that issue, I think  a straight prgramming class is next to
worthless for many Humanties and fine art students.  What they need is more an
illustration of how computers can be useful to them, rather than a tedious semster
of dealing with concepts that are totally unrelated to their major.

So I think we have to be careful in saying that _programing_ is to be required of
everyone, because not everyone need to know how to program a computer.  People
should be taught that computers can be very useful in all academic areas, and that
they should not be feared and hated.  Cramming Pascal down a poor freshman's throat
just guarantees one more freshman will never use a computer again. 

Pete


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