Which kid's beginners programming - Python or Forth?

[Roy Smith]

Ivan Van Laningham <ivanlan at pauahtun.org> wrote:
> In which case, you should start with PostScript;-)  I learned it by
> plugging a glass tty into the serial port on one of the very first
> AppleWriters and typing away.

Same here.  I had the RedBook and remember reading it and not quite 
believing it would work.  Then I plugged in a terminal, typed in the first 
example in the book, and it blew my mind when a piece of paper came out 
with a square drawn on it.

> Seriously, PostScript is a lot more fun to learn than Forth, and more
> directly useful.  Since the rewards are so immediate, a kid's attention
> could be gained and kept pretty easily.

There is something to be said for that.  On the other hand, PostScript is 
not easy to debug.  If you blow the stack, you mostly just get programs 
that mysteriously (and perhaps silently) don't work.  It was frustrating 
enough for me; it'll probably just turn a kid off from the whole idea of 
programming.  But then again, little kids seem to not have any problem 
programming VCRs, so maybe their brains just work differently :-)