[Info-vax] Rust as a HS language, was: Re: Quiet?

[Dave Froble]

On 4/7/2022 8:31 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2022-04-06, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>> On 4/6/2022 6:51 PM, VAXman- at SendSpamHere.ORG wrote:
>>> Rust as a high school language?  I believe schools should be concentrating on
>>> reading, writing and mathematics with special emphasis on the mathematics.  I
>>> can not believe that colleges need to offer remedial mathematics such as basic
>>> algebra to their incoming freshmen.  Writing should be a close second.  Writing
>>> as if "texting" friends is not composition.
>>
>> Not sure how this topic got into this thread, but whatever.
>>
>
> It got into this thread because Simon wrote "HS" instead of "HA" in
> the title. Sorry. :-)
>
>> The idea about teaching programming in secondary or primary school
>> come up frequently.
>>
>> Mostly from people that don't know programming.
>>
>> I don't think it make any sense. The available time will be
>> so small and the level taught so low that it will not be
>> useful. It does not provide the IT industry with something
>> they can use. And it does not provide any valuable skills to
>> the students.
>>
>
> Back when I was in secondary school (early 1980s) programming classes
> _were_ along the subjects offered. Basic was the language in use but
> I also came across this new language called Fortran and started doing
> the assignments in that language as well as in Basic just for fun. :-)
>
> And you are wrong Arne in an important way. You don't get any direct
> skills that you can use in industry but it exposes students to what
> is involved in writing programs and the mindset required.

Yes!  This!

Instructing a dumb (but very fast) computer how to accomplish some task requires 
some special ways of approaching the job.  Some people "get it", some people 
don't, and early exposure to the techniques can be helpful.

> It became obvious to me very quickly that this was something I _really_
> liked and made me consider it as my possible future (which obviously
> turned into reality).
>
> Simon.
>


-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
DFE Ultralights, Inc.
170 Grimplin Road
Vanderbilt, PA  15486