Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!news.swapon.de!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Ben Bacarisse Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: Why Johnny can?t code Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 14:43:43 +0100 Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 43 Message-ID: <87d2be3zow.fsf@bsb.me.uk> References: <020920141223320871%timstreater@greenbee.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Injection-Info: mx05.eternal-september.org; posting-host="017616aa25f81ec581c44d76d61ba2f3"; logging-data="7110"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1+EZuqpgcNvo05kblvR06H6v3nu9qO9uKU=" Cancel-Lock: sha1:SNjkldDpSVpB4U57aKCTTrFtxHw= sha1:tlw4uG2jtpTRK4f5ELiRzelx6Cg= X-BSB-Auth: 1.fb453c8f375c65221e57.20140902144343BST.87d2be3zow.fsf@bsb.me.uk Xref: csiph.com comp.misc:4645 Rich writes: > Tim Streater wrote: >> In article , Rich >> wrote: > >> > http://www.salon.com/2006/09/14/basic_2/ >> > >> > For three years - ever since my son Ben was in fifth grade - he and I >> > have engaged in a quixotic but determined quest: We've searched for a >> > simple and straightforward way to get the introductory programming >> > language BASIC to run on either my Mac or my PC. > >> Open a Terminal window on your Mac and type: > >> PHP -a > >> at the prompt. You can then enter PHP statements, a good way to get >> started as PHP is a simple enough language. > >> BASIC is rubbish: AVOID. > > Some of us classify PHP into that rubbish bin as well. It's a big bin, but I'd rather all "that's rubbish too" remarks be accompanied with a "I think it should be X". I've seen lots of possible Xs mentioned, but I have no experience of them. Maybe this thread will point to a front-runner? When I was teaching introductory programming (not, I confess, to children or even young adults, but to postgraduate students) I used a simple graphics library that I'd written. The students could then get programs that did interesting things very quickly while learning about functions, variables, loops and so on. Trouble is, the system was not interactive since the mandated language was C++. Graphics was key to BASIC's success, and I think would be key to any successful teaching system. Everyone likes graphics. It shows programming to be the creative experience it is, and yet it gives you instant and dramatic feedback when you get things wrong. -- Ben.