Newsgroups: comp.lang.python,comp.lang.tcl,comp.lang.scheme,comp.lang.misc
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!yeshua.marcam.com!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!waldorf.csc.calpoly.edu!kestrel.edu!mcdonald
From: mcdonald@kestrel.edu (Jim McDonald)
Subject: Re: What language would you use?
Message-ID: <1994Nov4.194317.3006@kestrel.edu>
Keywords: scheme tcl tk python language opinion
Sender: mcdonald@kestrel.edu (Jim McDonald)
Organization: Kestrel Institute, Palo Alto, CA
References:  <39b7ha$j9v@zeno.NSCF.Org>
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 1994 19:43:17 GMT
Lines: 47
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.lang.python:2355 comp.lang.tcl:21356 comp.lang.scheme:10940 comp.lang.misc:18747


In article <39b7ha$j9v@zeno.NSCF.Org>, roberts@alpha (Jack C. Roberts) writes:
|> The organization I work for develops educational software for high school
|> age students.  The software is run in classrooms on a Unix server and X
|> terminals.  The courseware is broken up into many hundreds of small "pages".
|> These pages are written in a home grown language.  This language has a C
|> like syntax and a toolkit based on the X Motif widgets. (no flames please :)
|> 
|> Our current system has many problems, such as not being event driven, so
|> I am advocating that we switch to a more mainstream language.  There are
|> three languages I see as alternatives: tcl, python, scheme.  I would be
|> very interested in hearing anyones opinion on this subject.  Below is a
|> listing of issues we see as important.  It should be somewhat in
|> order of importance.
|> 
|> * Usable in a commercial environment
|> * User interface features (windowing)
|> * Easy to learn and use
|> * Future of language
|> * Ability to move to PC/Mac platforms
|> * Extendability
|> * Availability of other free tools in language
|> * dynamically loadable extensions
|> * speed
|> * process size

I'm struck by the lack of mention of educational goals,
although I can sort of infer them from the criteria you list.

Are you trying to teach students enough for them to get some
kind of programming job without going to college?  Is the goal
to give them the first step in a programming career that might
include a college degree?  Are you trying to expand their horizons
and prepare them for university-level work and possible research
careers?   Or is this an elective most of them will never use 
in real life?
 
I think the answer to your question depends more on those
issues than on any of the criteria you listed.



-- 
James McDonald
Kestrel Institute                       mcdonald@kestrel.edu
3260 Hillview Ave.                      (415) 493-6871 ext. 339
Palo Alto, CA 94304                fax: (415) 424-1807
