[Microbit-Python] Next coding steps - 'C'?

[Michael]

On 22 June 2016 at 14:10, Nicholas H.Tollervey <ntoll at ntoll.org> wrote:

> On 22/06/16 13:42, Michael wrote:
> > With respect, the point of the micro:bit is to allow precisely this sort
> of
> > learning curve. We do still need people to learn systems languages like
> > C after all :-)
>
> Of course... I wasn't suggesting this wasn't a valid learning curve,
> just that there are several different curves: hence the "That depends". :-)
>
> As I mentioned, C is a completely valid and fun thing to get into.
>
>
Indeed, was taking the opportunity to say "yes you can" :-)

I think my reason really for replying was the fact that one thing I find
people sometimes think is

Blocks -> Python -> C/C++

Means:

Blocks  (not as good as)  Python  (not as good as)  C/C++

... that is that languages on the right are somehow more "valid" than
languages on the left. That's clearly not true for python vs C/C++,  but I
think it's also true for Block type languages. They're just at a ALGOL
level of development at the moment so to speak.

Indeed, surveys of children learning block based languages tend to assume
that, and that my personal experience of all this is that actually block
based languages are just as valid, and make complex things much easier than
the languages on the right. (I'm thinking concurrency)

And also I think there will be a lot of interesting work in the next
several years fleshing out things that are "missing" from block languages.

(This was something I didn't think when we first started down this road!
:-) )

Regards,


Michael.
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