On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 2:43 PM, Jim Dougherty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > [email protected] wrote: > > On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 1:29 PM, Jim Dougherty <[ > > mailto:j_dougherty%40ecrm.com > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> This is nutty (advising Kavina to quit college and find another skool > because > > the teacher has them using a real old compiler). > > > > > Well the course is certainly not teaching them C or C++ as used in > > industry, and therefore not preparing them for a career in > > programming. Indeed, if they're actually paying for the course, it's > > money wasted. > > > > It's not as if there aren't inexpensive/free alternatives that would > > achieve the required goal of being able to participate in a workplace > > that does use C and C++. > > > > I may be mis-speaking because I know nothing about TurboC. > I am making the assumption that it is a real old C compiler and that back in > the day it was a > representative C compiler. > If it was not a representative C compiler but rather something that had it's > own brand of bastardized > C then I will drop my argument.
Not too sure about that particular compiler, but it was probably released before there was A Standard[tm] > Many of us learned C on very old compilers many years ago (early 80's in my > case) and have > adapted to changes in the language since. There is no reason that someone > still cannot learn the > basics of the language using a very old compiler and later adapt going > forward. You mean learn the bad habits, then try to break them (or, more likely, carry on with the bad habits in ignorance?) Sorry - I disagree, when there is no need to learn the bad habits to begin with. > Generally speaking > the nature of changes over the years has been to add features not to change > or remove features. Depends on what you describe as features. Implicit int returns and 'old fashioned' function definitions are both no longer supported. > I would not advise using a very old compiler if you have a reasonable choice Like using a free compiler that does conform to expectations? > but > I think it bad advise to suggest that someone quit college because the > teacher mandates > the use of an old compiler. Well if trying to persuade the college to use an up to date compiler is unlikely to succeed.... > If Kavina has gotten the impression that can not learn how > think like a programmer and write C and he needs to quit school and find > another then > he has been given the wrong impression. Well they're being given the wrong impression about how to program at the moment - you think /that/ should continue? I don't. > I think that the group welcome message expresses things well when it says > that > TurboC is outdated and some people will not offer help if you are using and > you > would do well to upgrade if possible. -- PJH A man in a shellsuit goes into a posh furriers. He says to the shop assistant "I want a coat". The shop assistant, barely concealing her disdain, asks "What fur?" The man replies "Fur ma girlfriend".
