Re: Ada as the language of first exposure

[cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!jvnc.net!yal]

In <1992Oct23.202426.26645@seas.gwu.edu> mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman
) writes:

>In article <1992Oct21.152152.17129@fcom.cc.utah.edu> val@news.ccutah.edu (Val 
Kartchner) writes:
>>
>>Actually Pascal is used in more high schools as a teaching language than C.
>>My high school currently teaches Pascal (though they used to teach BASIC,
>>FORTRAN, and COBOL), and (to my knowlege) has never taught C (I have visited
>>a few times since graduating).  "The Law of First Exposure" would then
>>dictate that students would migrate to Pascal or a Pascal-like language.
>>
>The Advanced Placement Exam requires knowledge of Pascal syntax and
>semantics. It is strictly a programming exam, with little if any "design"
>or software engineering content. This is one good reason why high
>schools stick with Pascal. Another _might_ be that many teachers
>(including those of us teaching Ada as a first language) advocate
>that C should be everyone's second language and nobody's first one.

I agree with the comments about C (I oppose teaching it as a first
language -- that would be rather like trying to teach someone to drive
and sticking them in an Indy car right off).  I disagree, however,
with the idea that Ada should be a first langauge, as well.  Ada is
quite large (the size comes with the capability), and one thing that
stems from that is that it can take quite a long time to learn to use
the language well.  I favour sticking with Pascal, which is capable
enough for school programs and protected enough for learning.  There
should, of course, be explanations offered of just why Pascal is the
way it is.

Then, after that first semester, branch out to other languages,
HONESTLY explaining the strong and weak points of each (no language
bigots need apply -- and don't ask me how you would go about trying to
police THAT).  

>Something like 60% of college-level CS programs still use Pascal. They
>are getting fed up with Pascal's terrible portability (ever try Pascal
>on Unix?) and are primed for a change to _something_ else. If any of
>you out there have any influence at your local college, or with your local
>Ada vendor, NOW is the time to make marriages between them, because
>many schools are up to their ears in debate over what replaces Pascal.
>These departments are targets of opprtunity for Ada, but we are going
>to have to move fast. 

The problem with using Ada for a first language in an academic
situation is that the compilers are typically so expensive.  Which
brings us back to one of those original problems.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
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