[Edu-sig] Microsoft's KPL

[Chuck Allison]

Hello Kirby et al,

Here in Utah we have the newly formed Neumont University, which is
largely supported by MSFT and IBM. In 2.5 years students get a
"bachelors" in CS. I put it in quotes because, having visited them and
heard their spiel and studied their offerings, I believe they are
skimping on the liberal arts side (and even the theoretical CS side)
of the baccalaureate and churning out recruits for said companies
above (the ever-tempting "short cut"). While their graduates will
indeed be effective in some technical workplaces, I think the slanted
education will take its toll. As a college professor, I am concerned
for people who go that fit-a-mold route.

About Arthur's "affiliated" comments, having been both affiliated and
non, I've found that I personally can make a greater contribution as
an affiliated worker (I sensed some cynical disapproval thereof from
Arthur). That doesn't stop me from publishing, lecturing, and doing
many other things on the side, while leveraging the benefits and
resources of the affiliation. One can be a "team player" and an
independent thinker simultaneously.

I believe I will soon be successful in making Python our introductory
CS language (for CS0, though, not CS1). I still use it in upper
division courses whenever possible. (It's a delight in an advanced
Programming languages course - a natural to illustrate closures,
delegation, etc., and as a bridge to functional programming.)

-- 
Best regards,
 Chuck