Python too complex ?!?!?!

[Aaron Watters]

On Nov 19, 3:44 am, Kay Schluehr <kay.schlu... at gmx.net> wrote:
> On 17 Nov., 14:46, Brian <not_here at no_where.com> wrote:
> What have I missed?

Microsoft has a free download version of Visual Studio
which you can install in one go that has basically everything
you might want to cover in the first 2 or 3 programming
classes built in.  Also, when it comes to making things easy
the magic "intellisense" in VS cannot be beat, and stricter
typing rules tend to keep'em out of trouble.  I've seen
moderately skilled programmers get confused about list.append
versus list.extend -- it wouldn't happen in C#.

I would suggest that Python might be better for
more advanced classes like data structures
because Python cuts out all those declarations that get
in the way of understanding.  For example you could implement
a binary tree in Python in 5 minutes of typing, providing
"just the facts, M'am", whereas even
with intellisense help it would take 15 minutes in C# and
the students would be totally lost in the details when
you were done.

It's also possible that once you break'em in a bit
beginner students would make better progress with more
advanced concepts by making use of the interactive
interpreter.  I've taught java and C# where the students
freeze in abject fear when they confront their first
array -- Python lists are much less intimidating at
the interactive prompt.  At the beginning, however, I would
agree that C# has some serious advantages.  I don't
see anything wrong in teaching a bit of both, tho.

Students also like to learn languages which they can
find in the "help wanted" section very easily ;).

   -- Aaron Watters

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