[geeks] Introductory programming language?

[Lionel Peterson]

INHO the only real problem with BASIC is that it ill-prepares a student for
further work programming. Pascal is great for learning the concepts that are
very useful if one continues programming with 'better' languages....

Visual BASIC is a ten pound solution to a five pound problem for a casual
'hobbyist' programmer. It requires learning a very unique methodology for
creating an interface and breaking down a problem.

The various 'learning languages' - like Logo and whatever those principles
have evolved into are too childish for an adult learner to spend any time
with.

I see nothing wrong starting with BASIC, plain old interpreted BASIC and then
HTML basics, winding up with PHP. The methods used in BASIC are useful in
writing macros in applications, and PHP lets her develop programs with nice
GUIs with little muss and fuss, and teaching her to work through coding for a
server (upload source code to another machine) teaches several useful
concepts.

I'd drop a virtualbox Linux LAMP server on her desktop to host the PHP code.
There's plenty of areas for her to learn (like databases, for example)...

The biggest knock against BASIC/PHP are that they corrupt the students ability
to learn other languages - I don't think that's a real concern for her (she
seems more curious than anything, as I read the OP).

Lionel

On Aug 31, 2011, at 9:47 AM, Bob <rjtoegel at verizon.net> wrote:

> After the teachers and textbook writers botched up BASIC.  Talk
> about spaghetti code, whew.