[Edu-sig] Python for CS101
Kirby Urner
urnerk at qwest.net
Thu May 5 02:10:12 CEST 2005
> I don't think it unreasonable to try to keep alive the notion that
> at least certain kinds of academic institutions
> would and should remain a degree removed from idea of
> training, and a degree committed to the idea of
> stimulating the development of more abstract skills
> by way of a less goal oriented exploration.
>
I'm not sure why you think doing Python on top of .NET is a move towards
cookie-cutter training-for-industry style programming. It's pretty much the
same Python, in terms of syntax and semantics. Maybe some differences in
garbage collection, a few other things -- I'm no expert. Python .NET is a
lot like Jython -- same Python on the surface, but another implementation
language under the hood (C# instead of C or Java this time).
> So it is no small thing for me to hear that an insitution like
> Swathmore has moved from Scheme to Java.
>
> Which is a move - in my mind - exactly in the wrong direction.
>
And would you say the same of a move from Scheme to Python?
Again, I think any CS *curriculum* has to go into more than one language.
But any given course might focus on just one, such as Python. Plus I like
those sampler courses (like the beer sampler you can get at some brew pubs).
> Ted Leung blog entry of this morning being highly relevant, I thnk
>
> http://www.sauria.com/blog/
>
> It is also no small thing to me to feel inhibited
> from mentioning Ted's entry and hoping to stimulate some
> discussion of it here - though finding no direct mention of Python in
> it.
>
> Art
I believe I read the right entry, about open source and homeschooling and
the flattening of the world (meaning leveling of the playing field). Seems
pretty on target in a lot of ways.
Kirby
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