Teaching C as first programming language

[Ron Schweikert]

In article <7363 at maize.UUCP> chapmans at motcid.UUCP (Simon ( Grouchy Babes ) Chapman) writes:
>In article <1991Jun19.172436.14898 at itnsg1.cineca.it> ditolla at itnsg1.cineca.it (Francesco Di Tolla) writes:
>>It's good!
>>If the first language you learn is hard, then you 'll learn other
>>languages in a short time;

stuff deleted..

>I can't believe that I just read this. Not a sign of `IMHO'
>anywhere. If you make students learn a language that you _know_
>is `hard', are you sure you haven't put them off learning
>another language forever ?

Well, IMHO :-), C is okay as a starter (and obviously for advanced work!)

The key is to use it's structured
character and good support of top-down program design (IMHO).  You don't get 
into ptrs to matrices of arrays of ptrs (:-) right off the bat anyway!  Don't 
use the "hard" parts of the language.  No flames please, I know that you can
write really "bad" C, but just because a language has power and flexibility
doesn't mean you have to use it or teach it (IMHO).  I think C is 'hard '
because people haven't learned the basics (IMHO). (ok, no more kidding with 
IMHO).

I took one Pascal class, never did anything outside of the class (Adult
Continuing Education, so it wasn't really "in-depth") and then took C.  We
did a lot of the "simple" stuff and learned good programming style, *then*
worked into the more challenging stuff.  The key is the teacher and the
curriculum, not the language (IMHO) :-)