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"Harbaugh, John S" <[log in to unmask]>
Mon, 29 Nov 2004 09:47:53 -0800
text/plain (45 lines)
Agree that the Ada 95 tasking model (specifically Ravenscar Annex D) is
superior for teaching real-time programming.  Not sure that is
appropriate for a newbie programming course...

Ada uniquely supports readable, understandable programs.  The "write
once, read many" principle should be engrained as early as possible in
new programmers.  Fully qualified dot naming, named and mixed
association, subtypes, real enumerations (as apposed to named integers)
all contribute to a mindset that values programs which read like
structured English.

As a forced convert to the dark side of C++, I have to say that C++ is
NOT a good language for a first exposure to programming.  The language
is very subtle/complex (a bad combination), and most compilers are
idiosyncratic.  Plus, look how far you can get in Ada without ever
mentioning access types.  C++ is still rife with pointers from the first
chapter on...

Best regards,

        - John Harbaugh 

-----Original Message-----
From: David Botton [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Monday, November 29, 2004 8:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The question at hand:


On Nov 29, 2004, at 11:37 AM, Stephen Leake wrote:
>
> I don't see the "big trouble".


The big trouble is our ability as a community to answer.

Some other things that come to my mind as answers:

The ability to teach modern software concepts such as tasks using
language constructs. Flexibility of the languages object model to allow
for teach multiple different approaches to Object Oriented development
and design.

David Botton

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