> > 5. Java is usually offered as a first language because it sounds good > > and applicants equate enrolling on this program => becoming great at > > Java => well-paid employment. The fear on the part of providers is > > that > > no Java = reduced applications > > I have heard this assertion several times now, in different contexts. > > Is this really true?
I've just come out of a meeting reviewing the choice of teaching languages for Cambridge, so can report directly on the criteria that were raised by my colleagues. First language taught here will continue to be ML, because it allows clean expression of basic computational concepts. Second language is intended to offer an alternative paradigm to that of functional programming, for which the best choice is believed to be object-oriented programming. (Students encounter other paradigms, such as logic programming, in later years). We believe that the feasible options for teaching OO programming at undergraduate level are presently C++, Java and C#. We have most pressure from employers to teach C++ not Java. However, we think that C++ has disadvantages as a teaching language. We have most pressure from language suppliers to teach C# (well, from one language supplier). Despite both forms of pressure, we think that Java provides the best teaching language at present for basic object oriented concepts. Furthermore, the tool sets and libraries are sufficient, that students are later able to carry out substantial personal project work in Java if they wish to. They are also able to choose other languages if they wish. Many Cambridge students do project work in ML, Matlab, C#, C++ and other languages, but the majority choose Java. Based on the discussion I listened to, the statement that "applicants equate enrolling on this program => becoming great at Java => well-paid employment" is not true here, as Michael suspected. Alan -- Alan Blackwell Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/afb21/ Phone: +44 (0) 1223 334418 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PPIG Discuss List (discuss@ppig.org) Discuss admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/discuss Announce admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/announce PPIG Discuss archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40ppig.org/
