Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!purdue!tlh
From: tlh@cs.purdue.EDU (Thomas L. Hausmann)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: What is CS? (Was re First languages)
Message-ID: <3813@medusa.cs.purdue.edu>
Date: 11 Apr 88 13:53:08 GMT
References: <3684@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> <568@abcom.ATT.COM> <643@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU>
Sender: news@cs.purdue.EDU
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University
Lines: 37
Summary: A rebuttal?

In article <643@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU>, jefu@pawl17.pawl.rpi.edu (Jeffrey Putnam) writes:
> In article <4871@ecsvax.UUCP> hes@ecsvax.UUCP (Henry Schaffer) writes:
> (among other stuff relating to my proposal that programming be taught
> to all incoming freshmen)
> >  We might get into some controversy over what is a "real" programming
> >language -  Is an object oriented programming language a "real" one -
> I think an object oriented programming language like CLOS (is that
> what Common Loops mutated to?) with an interface to a window system
> where graphics can be done (X or NeWS by preference) would be close
> to ideal.  

As a language intended to introduce programming to (the unwashed masses ;-)) 
I mean all incoming Freshman?  First of all, not everyone NEEDS to program
and secondly I think such a course should use a mor conventional language.


>                      ...  As i said before, i think graphics would be
> a good place to start as it does make things fun - of course it is
> expensive as you need a good graphics system - but it is also quite
> interesting and you can go a long way with it.  ...

What kind of graphics are you thinking about?  I doubt that a lot of departments
would want to lay ot a lot of cash in equipment expenses to teach a service 
course.  Also, how good of a graphics system are you thinking about?

> jeff putnam  
> jefu@pawl.rpi.edu -or- jeff_putnam%rpitsmts@itsgw.rpi.edu

-Tom

      .^.^.        Tom Hausmann 
     . O O .       tlh@mordred.cs.purdue.edu    ( ARPA )
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