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From: bobduff@world.std.com (Robert A Duff)
Subject: Re: Comparison of languages for CS1 and CS2
Message-ID: <DBF890.D0K@world.std.com>
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
References: <3srsn5$q8d@galaxy.ucr.edu> <3tkt5u$3vk@felix.seas.gwu.edu> <DBEwuo.8L@world.std.com> <3tmu1k$6fa@felix.seas.gwu.edu>
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 1995 23:36:35 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.edu:13126 comp.lang.ada:32310 comp.lang.c++:137355 comp.lang.modula2:11932 comp.lang.scheme:13034

In article <3tmu1k$6fa@felix.seas.gwu.edu>,
Michael Feldman <mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu> wrote:
>Yes, it can happen. But recall that the thread is about teaching first-years.

Threads do sometimes tend to wander.  ;-)

>However, the subject of the thread indicates a comparison of parameter
>methods _with reference to teaching first-year students_. For that
>audience, I find Ada's "default", simple rules to be the easiest
>I've worked with. I have no controlled studies, but anecdotally I
>can say that the combination of named association plus the IN/OUT/IN OUT
>rules seem to be much easier to learn than Pascal's, C's, or Fortran's.
>(And perhaps C++'s, though I have not taught C++ to beginners.)

Not only do I agree with that, but I would also say that Ada's rules are
better than Pascal's, C's, or Fortran's for professionals, too.  My
previous complaint about the poor design of Ada's parameter passing was
with respect to some vague notion of an ideal set of rules, not with
respect to some particular language like Pascal.

- Bob
