On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 08:02:27PM -0500, Martin K wrote:
> 
> 
> >
> >>Java, smalltalk or any OO language is probably not the best place to
> >>start. The concepts that are required to make good OO programming is
> >>too complex and are in addition to the basic coding of the methods
> >>themselves. I think even C & derivatives are too complex in syntax,
> >>kids get buggy eyed with all the curly braces really easily.
> >
> >
> >The problem with pure BASIC are threefold:
> >
> >1) Virtually no structure. GOTO/GOSUB are the order of the day.
> >2) Lack of declaration of variables.
> >3) No parameter passing mechanism to speak of.
> >
> >BASIC will get a kid from 0 to 10 (mph/kph). But after that?
> >
> 
> I learned BASIC when I was in 4th grade. It probably wasn't possible for 
> me to understand something more complicated at least until 6th grade. 
> When I got into 7th grade I started to try a little C programming 
> because BASIC was slow (my homemade games ran really slow!)

All languages have the same basic elements. Enumerated:

1) Variables/Types
2) Computation
3) I/O
4) Selection
5) Repetition
6) Some form of encapsulation (procedures/functions, objects)

The fact of the matter is that most of these are the same. An if is an if is
and if and a while is a while is a while.

Flat out BASIC is a dirty language. The use of the GOTO/GOSUB, the lack of
local variables, and lack of parameters makes it a poor example. Unix shell
scripts are just as simple and infinitely cleaner than BASIC. As is Python.

> 
> 
> >>You gota remember that basic programming is still going to have a lot
> >>of concepts that are totally new to them (at least most of them).
> >
> >
> >True. But since you get the concepts in any language, you may as well get
> >them in a better structure.
> 
> I know that, in 4th grade, I would have had a REAL hard time with C syntax.

Who said C? I certainly didn't. Python doesn't have braces, begin/end, or
any other syntatic sugar. I like the fact that it enforces indentation.

When you are starting you want to be simple, but restrictive. That way when
you open up to another language, you use good techniques instead of poor ones.

BAJ
_______________________________________________
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist