Why should CF be used as an option in a Computer Science curriculum over such languages as Java or C#?
There is no reason at all. Beginning students do start out with procedural programming, just to learn the basics - primitive datatypes (int, float, char, string) and operators. They learn how to manipulate a single piece of data (string or number) and then groups of data using the array. The entire time, they are not worried about form structures, variables passing out of scope, request/response, or anything that is common to internet programming. Furthermore, they do worry about datatypes and proper operations on those datatypes. They learn compilation, execution, and the difference between interpretation and compilation. Later on, objects and structures come into play. Still data manipulation is focused on - not what the language is, or its idiosyncrasies. Furthermore, data output is usually limited to console, command-line output - not Windows or web pages, just line by line. Later on, file output is done and bit manipulation at the file level is learned. Pointers and direct memory management come into play as well, and must be used to accomplish later assignments. The students use the same language they started with from beginning to end, unless the instructor allows advanced students to pick their language. I chose to use VB 6.0 to write a compiler that blew away the rest of my class but simply because it looked good and they didn't know how to write in a visual language, not because it was so different than theirs. A competent student doesn't need to be taught another programming language in order to start using it. CF does not accomplish most of what needs to be learned in a CS environment. It's a tool for writing web pages on internet/intranet. It gets the job done, depending on the job. CF does many things for you - precisely why a curriculum shouldn't use it. It's why people can learn CF without knowing the nuts and bolts of programming. It's also why those people don't get past CF. I'm not even sure it should be an option in that curriculum. - Matt Small ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:205603 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
