In article <542783.92348...@web83904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>, Brian L. Stuart <blstu...@bellsouth.net> wrote: >>>>>K&R is beautiful in this respect. In contrast, never managed >>>>>bite in Stroustrup's description. >>>> Ok, now I'll get provocative: >>>> hen why do so many people have a problem understanding C? >>>Are you saying that there is a significant number of people >>>who understand C++ but not C? >>I wasn't saying anything, I was asking a question. :) > >Ah, I misunderstood. The question about why people don't understand >C on the heels of a reference to Stroustrup led me to think that >was a suggestion C++ was easier to understand than C.
That's wasn't the orginal movitivation, although, that can be true. >Of course, I may be a little too sensitive to such a claim, >because of what I've been hearing in the academic community for >a while. Understood. >Some keep saying that we should use more complex languages in >the introductory course because they're in some way easier. >But I've yet to understand their definition of easier. I've seen this before. It's usually a combo of people not knowing what they're talking about, making stuff up as they go along, generalizing their personal programming universe, being elite, and, miscommunication their point. >Well, actually I do kind of realize they are suggesting that a >tinkertoy approach makes it easier for a beginner to see something happen. >The problem I have is that's not the point of teaching that material. It's not. But that doesn't have to mean throwing the other parts out the window either. >Just getting something to happen might be training, but it sure isn't >education. No, and theory and practical experience are two different things too. I would not necessarily say only one or only the other, but probably often some balances combination. As to easier/harder above, that can be slippery. However, with the right approach, different steppingstones can be provided depending upon the strategy chosen. Of course, that can be a prescription for being doomed to fail, but it's a juggle for sure even with success, whatever that is, and with event he easier approach, whatever that is :) -- Greg Comeau / 4.3.10.1 with C++0xisms now in beta! Comeau C/C++ ONLINE ==> http://www.comeaucomputing.com/tryitout World Class Compilers: Breathtaking C++, Amazing C99, Fabulous C90. Comeau C/C++ with Dinkumware's Libraries... Have you tried it?
