I don't know if this is the article Marc was talking about:

Ada Letters Volume XVIII Number 5 September/October 1998

"A Comparison of Ada and Java as a Foundation Teaching Language"
by Ben Brosgol.

Frank

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Criley, Marc A [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, March 10, 2000 7:54 AM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: Help -- ammunition wanted!
>
> (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