Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.modula2,comp.lang.scheme
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!nntp.sei.cmu.edu!news.psc.edu!hudson.lm.com!godot.cc.duq.edu!news.duke.edu!news.mathworks.com!uunet!in1.uu.net!psinntp!psinntp!psinntp!psinntp!merlin.hgc.edu!jcm
From: jcm@hgc.edu (James McKim)
Subject: Re: Comparison of languages for CS1 and CS2
Message-ID: <1995Jul16.154844.3634@merlin.hgc.edu>
Sender: usenet@merlin.hgc.edu (Action News Central)
Organization: The Hartford Graduate Center
References: <2440@hgc.edu> <3u3vap$knu@hermes.acs.unt.edu>
Date: Sun, 16 Jul 1995 15:48:44 GMT
Lines: 46
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.edu:13350 comp.lang.ada:32761 comp.lang.c++:138835 comp.lang.modula2:12095 comp.lang.scheme:13227

In article <3u3vap$knu@hermes.acs.unt.edu> srt@zaphod.csci.unt.edu (Steve Tate) writes:
>James McKim (jcm@hgc.edu) wrote:
>
>> It's just not sufficiently compelling compared to issues like
>
>>   "Teaching Arrays in C++ is a nightmare"
>
>> The above line was posted recently in this group by a _supporter_ of
>> using C++ in CS1.
>
>The actual statement was about teaching arrays in C, and then Owen
>went on to say that since you can define a templated vector class in
>C++ you don't have to deal with unpleasant C array details with
>beginning students.

Upon reflection, I agree. I should have put the quote in context or not
used it at all. I apologize.

>
>So an appropriate paraphrase is "teaching something similar to arrays
>in C++ is no more difficult than in any other language."

Well, of course arrays are only _one_ problem. And the fact that one
has to jump through _any_ kind of nonstandard hoop to teach them says
something telling about the language as a pedagogical tool.

>
>Just trying to keep ya' honest in your quotation...  :-)

You succeeded :-).

>
>--
>Steve Tate  ---  srt@cs.unt.edu | "As often as a study is cultivated by narrow
>Dept. of Computer Sciences      |  minds, they will draw from it narrow
>University of North Texas       |  conclusions."  -- John Stuart Mill, 1865.
>Denton, TX  76201               | 

Hope this helps,
-- Jim

-- 

*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
Jim McKim  (203)-548-2458     Co-editor of Eiffel Outlook 
Internet:  jcm@hgc.edu        Subscribe early and often!
