From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_05,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: fc89c,97188312486d4578 X-Google-Attributes: gidfc89c,public X-Google-Thread: 1014db,6154de2e240de72a X-Google-Attributes: gid1014db,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,97188312486d4578 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: 109fba,baaf5f793d03d420 X-Google-Attributes: gid109fba,public From: heller@utdallas.edu (Steve Heller) Subject: Re: What's the best language to start with? [was: Re: Should I learn C or Pascal?] Date: 1996/08/30 Message-ID: <505hs4$8jb@news.utdallas.edu>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 177297596 references: <31FBC584.4188@ivic.qc.ca> <01bb83f5$923391e0$87ee6fce@timpent.airshields.com> <4uah1k$b2o@solutions.solon.com> <01bb853b$ca4c8e00$87ee6fce@timpent.airshields.com> <4udb2o$7io@solutions.solon.com> <01bb8569$9910dca0$87ee6fce@timpent.airshields.com> <4urqam$r9u@goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au> <01bb8b84$200baa80$87ee6fce@timpent.airshields.com> <4vbbf6$g0a@goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au> <01bb8f18$713e0e60$32ee6fce@timhome2> <4vroh3$17f@goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au> <01bb9360$21d0dbe0$87ee6fce@timpent.airshields.com> <503bq0$js@goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au> organization: The University of Texas at Dallas newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,comp.unix.programmer,comp.lang.ada Date: 1996-08-30T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: eachus@spectre.mitre.org (Robert I. Eachus) wrote: > When I was in high school (in the early 60's), the National Science >Foundation had a number of summer programs for bright students. I >went to one for Mathematics. The real treat was that most of the >participants, from all sorts of backgrounds, could argue. It didn't >matter what we were discussing, students framed their arguments >cogently, avoided ad hominem attacks, and graciously accepted facts >when introduced. I was also lucky enough to participate in that program, only mine was in programming. I then went to Shimer College, which was very similar except that it lasted 4 years (and they didn't have any computers!) Most of the best friends I ever had were classmates of mine at Shimer. By the way, if anyone is interested, I've written an essay on that topic which is accessible via my home page. > If you can't think of anything else you can do to help. Found, if >necessary, a debating club/team at your child's school, and help run >it. Those kids may love computers, but they won't make it through >college and out into the workplace unless they learn to use language >as a tool. Yes, I think I will do some of these things that you suggest. Thank you for an important, well-written and obviously heartfelt post. Steve Heller, author and software engineer http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/steve_heller