What to do after Python?

[Sheila King]

On Mon, 19 Feb 2001 09:07:10 +0100, tanzer at swing.co.at (Christian Tanzer)
wrote in comp.lang.python in article
<mailman.982570403.27694.python-list at python.org>:

:
:Sheila King <sheila at spamcop.net> wrote:
:
:> I must say, that I am shocked at the number of apparent *groans* over C++
:> language, in this thread.
:> 
:> I teach C++ as a first programming language to high school students, via the
:> AP Computer Science Curriculum. (The course I teach is supposed to be
:> equivalent to a first semester University course for CS majors.) I think that
:> the trick, is to use a carefully selected subset of the C++ language.
:
:I think you are missing at least two issues:
:
:- The carefully selected subset isn't going to help your students much
:  when they have to start reading/extending other people's code.

Sheesh, I thought I made it clear, this was a BEGINNING, first course in
programming! They aren't going out and getting jobs the semester after my
course ends. (Actually, some of them have, but that's quite unusual.) They can
learn the rest, later, at a more appropriate point in their comp
sci/programming education.

:- In C++, there are so many low-level issues the programmer has to
:  take care of that it distracts from the problem to be solved -- not
:  very helpful for learning how to program.

I never suggested that C++ was the best choice for a first programming
language. In fact, I personally don't care for it, myself (as a first
language). However, the course that I am teaching requires that it be taught
in that language. For more information about the AP Computer Science program,
go here:
http://www.collegeboard.org/ap/computer-science/

I didn't write the course. I just teach it.

--
Sheila King
http://www.thinkspot.net/sheila/
http://www.k12groups.org/