[Edu-sig] ACM article on Python

[David MacQuigg]

On Sun, Mar 22, 2015 at 7:23 PM, David Handy <david at handysoftware.com> wrote:
> This evening I had an interesting conversation with a very determined
> 10-year old boy who wants to learn programming in Java and nothing but Java.
> I told him that I recommend Python as a first programing language, because
> learning Python is easier. But he was adamant. It's Java or nothing. Why?
> Minecraft is implemented in Java. That made Java the ultimate in coolness to
> him. No "risk-averse bureaucratic" thinking there, just a willingness to do
> hard things to get what he wanted.
>
> So I told him, go for it, more power to you, and offered my assistance. What
> else could I do? :) In the face of determination like that, it's lead,
> follow, or get out of the way...

When I was an undergrad at Caltech, we had no good courses in
programming or computer science, and I really wanted to understand
computers.  So I dedicated most of one summer to slugging through
several feet of IBM manuals.  My first "computer language" was JCL!!
It was a total waste.  I lost interest in programming for many years.
Same thing happened to my interest in literature, after a string of
really bad teachers in high school.

Give that 10-year old plenty of encouragement, but be ready to catch
him when he falls.  Write the Java for him, if necessary, but then
show him the equivalent in Python.