[Edu-sig] Re: easy for beginners, even children

[Lee Harr]

>>I think this syntax
>>
>>    make "myarray {one two three}
>>
>>is more confusing for beginners than
>>
>>    myarray = ['one', 'two', 'three']
>
>It could be, but won't they get confused when
>they learn about "==" vs "=". In Logo the
>difference is more explicit:
>
>how do you have to write this in Python:
>
>make "a 10
>if :a = 10 [make "a 20]
>


For me, it's mostly a matter of "how you say it"


How do you say this?

make "a 10
if :a = 10 [make "a 20]
?


I guess I would say ...
make a 10
if a is equal to 10, then make a 20


I usually tell people

a = 10
if a == 10: a = 20

is pronounced ...
set a equal to 10
if a is equal to 10, then set a equal to 20


>In Logo:
>
>
>? show 2 = 3
>false
>

I am not sure how I would say this.


>In Python:
>
>>>>2 = 3
>SyntaxError: can't assign to literal

I would say ...
set 2 equal to 3.

Doesn't make much sense, so that's an error.


2 == 3
False

would be ...
is 2 equal to 3?


I think no programming language will be completely natural to someone
who has never been taught how to read it ... or how to read another
similar language.

The first programming language I ever used was logo. Maybe if my apple][
had had logo I would still be using it today... who knows.

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