[Courses] [C] Next C topic: Your Choice

[Jenn Vesperman]

On Thu, 2002-07-18 at 21:15, REMOVED wrote:
> In regards to C, (my wife has subscribed to this topic, but I just happened
> to see it), forget C, it is a barabaric language that only serves the
> function of being a universal assembler language.  Try to learn something
> that will be useful in the future instead.

Steve,

That was a very unhelpful post, and insulting to the people interested
in learning C - or in learning anything, for that matter. It is an
unprofessional attitude, as well, and I am surprised to see it here.

The women in this course have _chosen_ to study C. They have made an
informed choice, and are (in general) well aware of Perl, Python, Ruby,
Java, Prolog, Modula 3, or whichever language would be your preference.

The choice of programming language is a personal one, specific to the
individual and the task. (Unless the person is being paid to progam in a
specific language, of course.)

Please in future do us the favour of NOT assuming that your personal
opinion of a language is universal. Hint: It isn't.

If one is learning programming as a skill, it really doesn't matter
which language is learned. The grammar and syntax are trivial compared
to the ideas and the patterns of thinking. Learn one programming
language, and you can then learn any other language in the same overall
language family - and you can learn the other families fairly easily.



If you, Steve, have _specific_ information about C, please feel free to
present it - but preferably more politely and without making yourself
look crude. If you have _opinion_, please present it as such and not in
a manner which is designed to be demeaning.




Thank you.


Jenn V.
-- 
    "Do you ever wonder if there's a whole section of geek culture 
        	you miss out on by being a geek?" - Dancer.

jenn at anthill.echidna.id.au     http://anthill.echidna.id.au/~jenn/