Instead of deciding between Python or Lisp for a programming intro course...What about an intro course that uses *BOTH*? Good idea?

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Wed, 13 May 2015 02:05 am, Chris Angelico wrote:

> So if you're writing a library function, it probably shouldn't use
> print()... but your application is most welcome to. You usually know
> which one you're writing at any given time.

You might be, but beginners are not.

I'm not sure I accept Rustom's fix for the problem (I think that his cure is
worse than the disease), but it is *hard* to get some beginners to use
return instead of print:

def add_twice(x, y):
    """Add twice y to x."""
    print x + 2*y


sort of thing.

Personally, I think that banning print is only useful if you wish to
encourage cargo-cult programming:

"Don't use print!" 
"Why not?"
"My CS lecture said not to use it! I dunno, maybe it has a virus or
something."


I'd rather give them exercises designed to show (rather than tell) the
differences between printing a result and returning a result, and how they
effect re-usability of software components and function chaining. Using a
procedural language is *perfect* for that, since you can highlight the
differences:

function foo(n:int): int;
  begin
    foo := n+1;
  end;

procedure foo(n:int);
  begin
    writeln(n+1);
  end;



-- 
Steven