[CentralOH] First Programming Language

[Len Jaffe]

There's something to be said for Pascal as a teaching language. It has data
types, strict typing, pointers and all of the major procedural looping
constructs.
Once all of those elements are learned, one can change to a dynamic
language, or an OO language, or a functional language.

I'm a fan of constraining the learner at first, especially since there's a
lot more learning involved with the "first language" beyond syntax and
grammar.
If you can't work out a sorting algorithm on graph paper, learning a
dynamic/oo/functional programming language won't help, and might hinder.

But really, two or three weeks in Pascal's handcuffs should be sufficient
to learn the first principle of "computer programming"

On Tue, May 24, 2016 at 10:08 PM, Kurtis Mullins <kurtis.mullins at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I'm split between a language where you can dive in and get stuff done
> (e.g. Python) and a "retro" language where you actually learn how computers
> work in the process (e.g. C). I wasn't exposed to important principles
> until college and wished I had know them for years. Also, if I never went
> to college would I have been exposed to them?
>
> My son just turned 8 and I've exposed him to Python but had more luck with
> Tynker (graphical). Maybe this summer off school we can do some "real"
> coding together
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On May 24, 2016, at 7:09 PM, jep200404 at columbus.rr.com wrote:
> >
> > What does one want of a first programming language?
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> > Watch Ken Robinson videos and read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
> Maintainance.
> > _______________________________________________
> > CentralOH mailing list
> > CentralOH at python.org
> > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/centraloh
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-- 
Len Jaffe - Information Technology Smoke Jumper - lenjaffe at jaffesystems.com
614-404-4214    @LenJaffe <https://www.twitter.com/lenJaffe>
www.lenjaffe.com
Host of Code Jam Columbus <http://www.meetup.com/techlifecolumbus/>  -
@CodeJamCMH <https://www.twitter.com/CodeJamCMH>
Curator of Advent Planet <http://www.lenjaffe.com/AdventPlanet/> - An
Aggregation of Online Advent Calendars.
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