From: tomstdenis AT my-dejanews DOT com
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Teaching a child to program in C
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 11:33:54 GMT
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> John, I am so happy to hear you say that! I, too, think starting out in
> BASIC is best. But so much has been said to the effect that one is "ruined"
> by BASIC--I never believed this. But I do see that getting into Pascal or C
> (there's no reason why C cannot be first) as soon as possible later on is
> important. But in the beginning for a young child, how can you beat BASIC?
> There is something to be said for LOGO, however.

How old is the child?  I taught myself basic when I was five on a Vic-20
(Commodore), then taught myself C at 11, pascal at 13, assembler (x86) at 14.
 I am now 16.  So I think that children can learn programming if you let them
go on their own.  I must admit I am really only proficient in programming the
last year or so, but I was capable even at 12/13 (I wrote a small BBS).

Basic is a good start, but doesn't teach much in the way of good programming.
 I think starting in pascal or C would be better, since they would have to go
that route anyways.

tom

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