Questions from a beginner

[Shriram Krishnamurthi]

claird at starbase.neosoft.com (Cameron Laird) writes:

> Well, Scheme's my second choice for a first language <URL:
> http://www.sunworld.com/sunworldonline/swol-10-2000/swol-1013-regex.html >
> Why only second?  For me, it's 'cause Python remains easier
> to embed-and-extend, and has a wider range of what I regard
> as significant GUI toolkit bindings, and Win* conveniences.
> Also, I still have mixed feelings about Scheme in large-team
> projects.

Oh please, Cameron.

None of the topics you list have been a real issue in teaching
beginners to program, in my considerable experience in this arena.

Furthermore, if they really are issues in *your* educational context,
pick DrScheme.  It provides most of them, and more.

Finally, there are many significant educational benefits to Scheme:

1. Much more sophisticated pedagogy.

2. Much more sophisticated programming environments.

What large team projects have to do with the choice of a first
programming language is slightly beyond me, but even in that
department I'm still waiting for the day Python catches up with
DrScheme's units and mixins approach.

Shriram