(I hate it when people cite references they can't explicitly
identify, but I'll violate my own rule in this case...)

A recent issue of Ada Letters had an "Ada vs Java for CS
Education" article published in it.  I don't have the issue
here at work, so I can't tell you the date, but it was within
the last 2-3 years.

Marc A. Criley
Lockheed Martin M&DS

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask] [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, March 10, 2000 7:02 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Help -- ammunition wanted!
>
> We have recently come under pressure to change our initial teaching
> language for CS1 from Ada 95 to Java. Apparently this is the sexy
> thing to do inspite of the poor/obscure C-like syntax, lack of a
> language standard, poor compiler error messages,.....
>
> The plan appears to be to use an OO approach in Java from the start
> although the Java textbooks which claim to use this approach seem to
> me to place far too high a demand on the students.
>
> I would be grateful for pointers to any arguments and information that
> might be useful in resisting such a change.  Any Java horror stories
> would be particularly welcome.
>
> Also if anyone has taught CS1 using Ada with an OO aproach from the
> start, I would be interested in hearing of their experiences.
>
>    Dr. Alan Barnes
>    Computer Science
>    Aston University
>    Aston Triangle
>    Birmingham B4 7ET
>    U. K.
>
>    Telephone: +44 121 359 3611 Ext. 4663
>    E-Mail:  [log in to unmask]  (JANET)
>    Fax:     +44 121 333 6215