Comments on: From Beginner to Master Programmer: The First Language and More http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/ What are the forces behind software development? Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:05:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Halfbin http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-9487 Halfbin Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:40:57 +0000 http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/#comment-9487 I feel somewhat vindicated by this - I recently decided not to try for a CS course at a uni, on the principle that I've been learning programming for six years and don't need to learn it all again - this revelation adds more bulk to my opinion :) I feel somewhat vindicated by this – I recently decided not to try for a CS course at a uni, on the principle that I’ve been learning programming for six years and don’t need to learn it all again – this revelation adds more bulk to my opinion :)

]]> By: LinkLog: Software « Dorai’s LearnLog http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-2924 LinkLog: Software « Dorai’s LearnLog Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:43:42 +0000 http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/#comment-2924 [...] From Beginners to master programmers - First Language and More is a problem that faces every training organization. When I started working on Learning Point, this was one of my constant worries. I have seen several threads of discussions on the choice of first language for programming. [...] [...] From Beginners to master programmers – First Language and More is a problem that faces every training organization. When I started working on Learning Point, this was one of my constant worries. I have seen several threads of discussions on the choice of first language for programming. [...]

]]> By: Emil Arsenov http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-1741 Emil Arsenov Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:39:51 +0000 http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/#comment-1741 First of all, let me just say that this is a pretty cool blog, and I'll be adding it to my daily (hopefully!) reads. I recently decided that I enjoy coding in general; be it messing around in PHP, throwing simple python scripts together, or even playing with simple DHTML documents. I further decided to get a CS degree and am currently in the process of finding something good in my general area. Anyway, add me on digg (foxter) and I will definitely digg your future articles. First of all, let me just say that this is a pretty cool blog, and I’ll be adding it to my daily (hopefully!) reads.

I recently decided that I enjoy coding in general; be it messing around in PHP, throwing simple python scripts together, or even playing with simple DHTML documents. I further decided to get a CS degree and am currently in the process of finding something good in my general area.

Anyway, add me on digg (foxter) and I will definitely digg your future articles.

]]> By: Isaac Rodriguez http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-1461 Isaac Rodriguez Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:59:46 +0000 http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/#comment-1461 I have to agree with you. Especially with your first point, "Train clear logical thinking". This is essential for any kind of programming you will ever do. If you cannot solve a problem from a logical point of view, you would not be able to solve it on a computer. I also agree on the path you describe by first learning a procedural language (Pascal is a great first language) and then introducing other levels of abstraction. I always thought Python will be a great starting language because it supports different styles of programming (the fact that everything is an object can be dismissed, as opposed to other pure OO languages) and you can start programming Python using a procedural approach and introduce object orientation later. Unfortunately, this is not the way programming is teached these days. Using languages as Java, C#, VB as introductory languages requires focusing first on the frameworks and libraries provided by the language, neglecting the importance of being able to solve a simple problem in a nice structured way. I have to agree with you. Especially with your first point, “Train clear logical thinking”. This is essential for any kind of programming you will ever do. If you cannot solve a problem from a logical point of view, you would not be able to solve it on a computer.

I also agree on the path you describe by first learning a procedural language (Pascal is a great first language) and then introducing other levels of abstraction. I always thought Python will be a great starting language because it supports different styles of programming (the fact that everything is an object can be dismissed, as opposed to other pure OO languages) and you can start programming Python using a procedural approach and introduce object orientation later.

Unfortunately, this is not the way programming is teached these days. Using languages as Java, C#, VB as introductory languages requires focusing first on the frameworks and libraries provided by the language, neglecting the importance of being able to solve a simple problem in a nice structured way.

]]> By: Kaveh Shahbazian http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-1437 Kaveh Shahbazian Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:32:58 +0000 http://softwarecreation.org/2008/from-beginner-to-master-programmer-the-first-language-and-more/#comment-1437 I never forgive my educational-system. First language must be Scheme (or if anybody hates the parenthesis Dylan, Goo or REBOL) ; something Lisp-derived and dynamically typed. Because this learns us how to think in abstractions. So I will not get confused when I encounter a new data structure for solving a specific problem (I do not mean the academic RBTrees; I mean for example a lazy list or a hierarchical one for demonstrating a xml tree). When the first bullshit I learn is "int" and I think the other one (other data structure) should be something like "float" then whole software engineering is a piece of bullshit indeed! I never forgive my educational-system. First language must be Scheme (or if anybody hates the parenthesis Dylan, Goo or REBOL) ; something Lisp-derived and dynamically typed. Because this learns us how to think in abstractions. So I will not get confused when I encounter a new data structure for solving a specific problem (I do not mean the academic RBTrees; I mean for example a lazy list or a hierarchical one for demonstrating a xml tree).
When the first bullshit I learn is “int” and I think the other one (other data structure) should be something like “float” then whole software engineering is a piece of bullshit indeed!

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