[PyAR2] C++ vs. Python as teaching tool

[Greg Lindstrom]

On Jan 15, 2008 1:40 PM, W W <srilyk at gmail.com> wrote:

> So...
> I'm a student at UCA,
>
> They use C++ as the CSCI I and II language. I've become an avid... oh I
> don't know what you call us python fans,


I've heard "Pythonista" used a lot


> but I've been one for quite a while now. But this just took the lesson
> home even further.
>

I'm a C++ fan when you need the horsepower.  But what I really like about
Python as a learning language is the syntax is so simple; you can
concentrate on the task at hand rather than how to code it up.  That's great
when you're teaching loops and such.  It's even cooler when you get to
classes and OOP.  Python is just so simple, though it does violate some of
the "theoretical" tenets of OOP such as data hiding.  Larry Wall (creator of
Perl) had a great line about Perl's OOP design.  He said you were expected
to follow OOP practice in the same way he expected you to stay out of his
house.  Not because it was locked, but because you just shouldn't do it!
When I was going through school Pascal was used as a learning language.  Now
I think Python would be a great choice.

There a really good introductory text, "How to Think Like a Computer
Scientist".  There's are a few editions, but the one I like uses Python.

--greg
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