Which programming language should be taught in South African high schools?

[ajan]

Are you saying Python lacks core capabilities only present in C++/Java? You do know that Python is used in pretty much every field - https://www.python.org/about/success/. In fact, major investment banks now primarily rely on Python - http://www.quora.com/When-why-and-t...ica-rebuild-its-entire-tech-stack-with-Python

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/801657/is-python-faster-and-lighter-than-c

Companies only use python as it's major stack, because it produces fast short term solutions.

 

[Swa]

People learn orders of magnitude easier practically rather than theoretically. This is why the current school model is broken.

I prefer Python because it allows the kids to experiment interactively and get instant results.

Prompt> A = 1
A=1
Prompt> print A
1

And so on.

Yes they learn Python as a side effect but Python is not the point, demonstrating principles, fundamentals and reasons are the point so people learn and understand rather than parrot.

This is not about an immature debate on why my favourite language is better than yours. I don't have a favourite language. That would be stupid and immature in my profession. I choose a language based on a set of requirements and match up the tool to the requirements.

I'm all for practical but then you wouldn't go for Python, Java, C# and stuff like that but rather a language that has wider practical application. Delphi has traditionally been used for teaching and for that reason many programmers stuck with it and the code library is huge. The only language with a larger library is C/C++.

This is what's really wrong with our schooling system. Teaching children what they won't be using in the real world instead of what they would. Then when they get into the real world they have to learn again before they can do anything.

 

[DA-LION-619]

I'm all for practical but then you wouldn't go for Python, Java, C# and stuff like that but rather a language that has wider practical application. Delphi has traditionally been used for teaching and for that reason many programmers stuck with it and the code library is huge. The only language with a larger library is C/C++.



This is what's really wrong with our schooling system. Teaching children what they won't be using in the real world instead of what they would. Then when they get into the real world they have to learn again before they can do anything.

How is Java or C# not practical in the real world :wtf:

 

[Hamster]

I'm all for practical but then you wouldn't go for Python, Java, C# and stuff like that but rather a language that has wider practical application. Delphi has traditionally been used for teaching and for that reason many programmers stuck with it and the code library is huge. The only language with a larger library is C/C++.

This is what's really wrong with our schooling system. Teaching children what they won't be using in the real world instead of what they would. Then when they get into the real world they have to learn again before they can do anything.

:wtf:

So C# and Java is not practical nor used extensively in the real world. Also the bigger the language library the better. Ok then.

/leaves - obviously thread has run its course when posts like these appear

 

[Frikkenator]

I'm all for practical but then you wouldn't go for Python, Java, C# and stuff like that but rather a language that has wider practical application. Delphi has traditionally been used for teaching and for that reason many programmers stuck with it and the code library is huge. The only language with a larger library is C/C++.

This is what's really wrong with our schooling system. Teaching children what they won't be using in the real world instead of what they would. Then when they get into the real world they have to learn again before they can do anything.

I hate to be the one to break it to you but this is 2015 not 1995.

 

[Necuno]

I hate to be the one to break it to you but this is 2015 not 1995.

 

[Swa]

How is Java or C# not practical in the real world :wtf:

:wtf:

So C# and Java is not practical nor used extensively in the real world. Also the bigger the language library the better. Ok then.

/leaves - obviously thread has run its course when posts like these appear

Can either of you read what's really said?

 

[DA-LION-619]

Can either of you read what's really said?

Classic Swa

 

[Swa]

Yeah sure, fail to address the actual post.

 

[paddy_za]

You guys forget that these are children. They want to see the button they "coded" on the screen that burns the text to a different colour, and type something into a textbox that appears on another machine when you hit enter. Fun stuff.

Screw the theory and all the "fundamentals" of programming. That is for university. In school it should be fun. It's not like you need this the same way as you need math, science, English etc.

Give 'em, VS, let them drag a button onto a winform, make 'e-mail double click it and type in MessageBox.Show("Die onnie wetie waddafok aangaan nie!"); and run. They'll go exploring themselves soon enough which is what you want.

I agree with this. With resources such as the Microsoft Virtual Academy and all the tools that form part of that ecosystem, kids could be producing fully fledged web applications (for example) before they even get to varsity. What spreadsheet software do schools use? Excel. Presentations? PowerPoint. Seems obvious that Visual Studio would be the IDE of choice.

/Flame suite on

 

[Hamster]

Can either of you read what's really said?

/reads

I'm all for practical but then you wouldn't go for Python, Java, C# and stuff like that but rather a language that has wider practical application.

 

[Necuno]

oh lord. incoming swa++

 

[Hamster]

oh lord. incoming swa++

Bwhahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Swa]

/reads

Yes, clearly says wider practical application. Guess you missed that?

 

[Hamster]

Yes, clearly says wider practical application. Guess you missed that?

Why don't you elaborate on what you meant with "wider practical application" in the context of c#/java/python vs Delphi/c++ for us mere mortals to understand.

 

[Paul Hjul]

oh lord. incoming swa++

I thought it was swa#

# like a pencil

 

[Swa]

Why don't you elaborate on what you meant with "wider practical application" in the context of c#/java/python vs Delphi/c++ for us mere mortals to understand.

I don't think elaboration on basic terminology is required. Is C# used extensively in most fields of programming? No. Is Java used extensively in most fields of programming? No. Is Python used extensively in most fields of programming? No. Is C/C++ used extensively in most fields of programming? Yes. Is Delphi used extensively in most fields of programming? Yes.

 

[Necuno]

I thought it was swa#

# like a pencil

LOL

 

[Hamster]

I don't think elaboration on basic terminology is required. Is C# used extensively in most fields of programming? No. Is Java used extensively in most fields of programming? No. Is Python used extensively in most fields of programming? No. Is C/C++ used extensively in most fields of programming? Yes. Is Delphi used extensively in most fields of programming? Yes.

Ok now I'm really done with this thread.

 

[Necuno]

Ok now I'm really done with this thread.

Eks is just trolling.