[Info-vax] Programming languages, was: Re: And another one bites the dust....

[Simon Clubley]

On 2022-02-21, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
> On 2/21/2022 5:44 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>> On 2/21/2022 2:34 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>> On 2022-02-21, Scott Dorsey <kludge at panix.com> wrote:
>>>> Academics shouldn't be teaching programming languages, they should be
>>>> teaching programming concepts.  If you know C or Pascal, learning
>>>> how to write the procedure division code in COBOL should be a matter
>>>> of a couple hour's study.  Once you know the concepts, learning the
>>>> syntax is easy.  (Frustrating, perhaps, because the COBOL syntax is
>>>> so horrible, but easy.)
>>>>
>>>
>>> Syntax is only one small part of it. Understanding the reason for the
>>> language is very important as well.
>>>
>>> For example, you can write C code with Ada syntax by declaring everything
>>> as Integer or you can learn the Ada type system and start using the Ada
>>> way of thinking to model your problem using Ada's type system.
>> 
>> Why does any of that have to be tied to any language?
>> 
>> Concepts and procedures is what is important.
>

And having enough knowledge to choose the best language for the job and
having enough knowledge to understand that other languages are not just
C with a different syntax is also important.

> Yes.
>
> They should really learn that there are different approaches to types:
> * dynamic typing
> * implicit static typing
> * explicit static typing with basic types and composite types
> * static typing with possibility of constrained basic types
>
> There are multiple languages available for example sin each category.
>

They should also learn that type systems are a way to help you
make a program more robust and not just "something to be dealt with".

This is as much about acquiring the correct mindset as it is about
acquiring knowledge.

Ada has the best type system I have ever used, but that's no good
if you don't know enough, or have the correct mindset, in order to
take full advantage of it.

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.