From: engelbert_buxbaum@hotmail.com   
      
   keith.aquilina@gmail.com wrote:   
      
   > Many think that PAscal should be phased out and Java should be used   
   > instead. What do you think?   
      
   Java is certainly better than other languages from the C-linage (by   
   simply introducing Pascal-concepts like local variables), but compared   
   to Pascal-programs I find Java-sources much more difficult to read (and   
   hence to maintain). In my view that is a knock-out feature, as 9/10 of   
   your time you will spend debugging and maintaining code, rather than   
   writing it.   
      
   In addition modern programming tools for Pascal (Delphi, Lazarus, Kylix)   
   give it a head start for real-life programming. Note that the simple   
   syntax of Pascal, which makes it so eminently suitable for teaching,   
   also makes it more suitable for RAD-tools, as it allows the construction   
   of efficient one-pass compilers. Multi-pass compilers, as required for   
   C, would not work for RAD. That indeed was the reason why Borland   
   originally choose Pascal rather than C for Delphi.   
      
   Being a teacher myself I would always advocate to go from the simple to   
   the complex. In the context of programming that means teaching the   
   concepts of programming and program design (note that this are two   
   different things!) in a simple language. If more complex languages are   
   also required due to market pressure, they should be introduced later   
   building onto a solid foundation of computer science.   
      
   That this is in the interest of students was demonstrated by an   
   experiment described on the Modula-3 (an object-oriented language   
   derived from Pascal) homepage. Students of a computer science class were   
   allowed to turn in their homework coded in either Modula-3, Turbo-Pascal   
   or C. Since Modula-3 was recommended, most programming novices choose   
   that language, while students thinking themselfs "experienced   
   programmers" often choose C. 3/4 of the students choosing Modula turned   
   in their homework correct and in time, 2/3 of those using Pascal but   
   none of those using C. After having been granted an extension, some of   
   the C students were able to turn in working programs, but code quality   
   was lower than that achieved by students in Wirth-languages, even though   
   they were on abverage less experienced.   
      
   So in summary I would congratulate you on having conscientous teachers   
   who have the courage in the interest of their students to withstand   
   considerable pressure.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)