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

[VAXman- at SendSpamHere.ORG]

In article <t2mlir$ib9$2 at dont-email.me>, Simon Clubley <clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP> writes:
>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.
>
>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).

I *built* my first computer -- not like kids do today by plugging some
prefab circuit boards into a motherboard -- from parts (ICs, resistors,
capacitors, etc.) using a article in one of the electronics magazines
of the day (Popular Electronics or Radio Electronics).  Basically, it
was the SwTPC 6800.  I read all the theory of operation and I learned
how to program it (6800 assembly).  In college, I had a class working 
on a 6502 system (more assembly) with a hex keyboard and the physics 
lab had a Heathkit H8 that I programmed in assembly via an octal keypad.
All hand assembly counting bytes.  Some of my electronics classes would
require some programming to solve some assignments.  The professor said,
"Learn Fortran and solve it!"  Good grief, I hated that 029 card punch
to program Fortran.
  
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