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From: seebs@solutions.solon.com (Peter Seebach)
Subject: Re: What's the best language to start with? [was: Re: Should I learn
 C or Pascal?]
Date: 1996/08/03
Message-ID: <4u19gq$f1g@solutions.solon.com>#1/1
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references: <sperlman-0507961717550001@p121.ezo.net>
 <31FDFB6C.2781E494@att.com> <dewar.838737842@schonberg>
 <01bb8023$4bfe7a80$96ee6fcf@timhome2>
organization: Usenet Fact Police (Undercover)
reply-to: seebs@solon.com
newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,comp.unix.programmer,comp.lang.ada
Date: 1996-08-03T00:00:00+00:00
List-Id: <comp.lang.ada>


In article <01bb8023$4bfe7a80$96ee6fcf@timhome2>,
Tim Behrendsen <tim@airshields.com> wrote:
>Yes, but if they don't even know what hexadecimal is (or by extension
>the fundamentals), do they *really* understand what an abstract data
>type is, or what call by reference means?  I'm sure they could quote
>the book definition, but do they really *understand* it?

Certainly.  Knowing hex won't buy you anything WRT abstract data types.
Knowing the bottom half of the machine might help you understand the
*mechanics* of call by reference.  It would not help you understand the
*implications*.  You can explain the implications easily using metaphors,
and most students will quickly grasp why these operate differently.

-s


-- 
Peter Seebach - seebs@solon.com - Copyright 1996 - http://www.solon.com/~seebs
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