[ale] [OT] First Programming Language for Adult??

[Jay Lozier]

Alice is language designed to teach OOP methodology. It is not 
particularly useful as a production language. It only runs on Windows, 
which may not be an issue.

On 05/29/2014 11:19 PM, Stephen Leonard wrote:
> My suggestion is to use a book like this in conjunction with some other
> language resource that assumes no prior programming experience.  I'm not
> familiar with Alice, but I agree with your suggestion for Java or Python
> since plenty of documentation exists for beginners.
>
>    http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Computing-Algorithms-Russel-Shackelford/dp/0201314517
>
> Unfortunately, the price for this book is steep.  Since my copy is just
> collecting dust, I would be willing to lend it.  Please email me offline
> if interested.
>
> Here are some additional online resources I have seen suggested by
> others.
>
>    http://htdp.org/
>    http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/
>
> On Thu, May 29, 2014 at 03:17:00PM -0400, Tom Freeman wrote:
>> My apologies for using up people's bandwidth for something not
>> really linux, but this list is the best resource I know of for
>> access to computer people with an insane breadth of backgrounds and
>> opinions. And they are willing to share.
>>
>> A few days ago my daughter asked for an opinion as to a computer
>> language for her to learn. No, she doesn't have a project in mind,
>> which would have at least focused the discussion a little bit. She
>> is a university librarian, however, should that have any bearing on
>> the discussion. She has access to a moderate amount of materials for
>> "Alice", which apparently her school uses for programming
>> introduction.
>>
>> My advice, which should be considered highly flawed, was to take
>> advantage of the "Alice" materials as a first, quick step. Follow
>> that with perhaps either some work in Python or Java, with the Java
>> due to her constant involvement in tiny web projects.
>>
>> If the Python or Java settles, and the itch continues, I was
>> suggesting a second language, possibly data base oriented for the
>> library work, or something derived from either FORTH or LISP for the
>> mind expansion properties. As yet another alternative - cshell(?)
>> since she prefers the macintoy.
>>
>> (I had a relative utterly in love with FORTH and very good at it
>> also. Unfortunately, he thought _everybody_ should program in it...
>> Not a very successful idea unfortunately.)
>>
>> The multipart question here seems to be:
>> 1) Is there a proper solid resource for building some programming
>> skill that I should have know about and don't?
>> 2) Did I suggest a moderately reasonable approach in the eyes of
>> people who _actaully_ program?
>> 3) Is there probably a better approach I should have known about?
>>
>> Thanks to all for the use of their bandwidth.
>>
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-- 
Jay Lozier
jslozier at gmail.com