[NTLUG:Discuss] Corel donates Linux to DISD

[J. Reeves Hall]

Steve Baker wrote:
> 
> Allen Flick wrote:
> >
> > Kathleen Weaver wrote:
> >
> > > >??Visual Basic??
> > > >I thought you were teaching programming Kathleen?
> > > >:)
> > > >just kidding
> > >
> > > It's a nice little language to introduce high school kids to programming.
> >
> > Why not try a nice little scripting language?  Tcl/Tk would be my
> > choice.  Straightforward, C like syntax, and *free*.
> 
> Python gets my vote because it's more C++-like.

This argument has come up before.

Pardon my bluntness, but Visual Basic sucks for teaching kids to
program. It's designed to allow programmers to rapidly create Windows
applications, with little attention to speed, efficiency, or careful
programming habits. It accomplishes its intended purpose, but that does
not involve being a good teaching language. In addition, Visual Basic is
not cheap, and it is proprietary. School districts are rarely flush with
cash, so Visual Basic is an exceptionally poor choice unless Microsoft
chooses to donate it. Everyone has their own idea of what exactly
constitutes a good teaching language; my vote is in for Scheme (which
I'll be happy to debate off-list).

On the other hand, I believe Kathleen made it clear the last time that
it wasn't her decision to use VB.

-Reeves