Message-ID: <35F76579.8D37B5CF@post.comstar.ru> Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 09:36:57 +0400 From: Dim Zegebart Reply-To: zager AT post DOT comstar DOT ru Organization: Comstar Ltd. MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Eli Zaretskii CC: "djgpp AT delorie DOT com" Subject: Re: Teaching a child to program in C References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=koi8-r Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Precedence: bulk Hope, my story will be interesting. I started with 8 bit device based on Z80 clone chip then I was 13 years old ( previously I just seen Atari at home of my friend and was shocked by games I saw) So, my very first computer was only text mode with a shipped tape which contained various programs from games to BASIC teaching system. Next two months I spend playing with BASIC system. It was amazing ! That system was designed in totally interactive mode - first it gave me a short information about some language construction and second it asked me to do some input without exiting program. The most exiting thing for me was what I didn't try to select right answer from the list of possible choices but I typed BASIC instruction and ran it interactively with immediate response about error in code or about success result. So, my first advice is what teaching system should be interactive ( I saw somewhere in the Net C - interpretator). Next it should give to a child some preliminary information about each teaching language construction. Well, my second computer was Atari ( amazing device ;) and I spend majority of my time typing games code (BASIC) from books and magazines. It gave me very valuable experience on HOW-TO. So, my second advice is to teach child using real code for games not language guide. I remember the joy I felt then my first game from book ran. The best learning is learning through the *GAME*. And the last one. Visit http://www.legomindstorms.com/ Perhaps, this is you are looking for. With my best wishes. -- Dim Zegebart Moscow, Russia