Pascal J. Bourguignon wrote:
No, no, no. That's the point of our discussion. There's a need to
increase "computer"-literacy, actually "programming"-literacy of the
general public.
The situation where everybody would be able (culturally, with a basic
knowing-how, an with the help of the right software tools and system) to
program their applications (ie. something totally contrary to the
current Apple philosophy), would be a better situation than the one
where people are dumbed-down and are allowed to use only canned software
that they cannot inspect and adapt to their needs.
As fond as I am of the days of Heathkits and homebrew computers, do we
really expect people to build their computers, or cars, or houses, or
even bicycles? Specify and evaluate, maybe repair, but build? (Though
the new DIY movement is refreshing!).
Furthermore, beside the need the general public has of being able to do
some programming, non-CS professionals also need to be able to write
programs.
I guess the question for me is what do you/we mean by "programming?" To
me, it's about analyzing a problem, designing and algorithm, then
reducing that algorithm to running code. Being facile in one language
or another seems less important.
Or put another way, what's important in math are "word problems," not
the multiplication tables.
It's about thinking mathematically, or algorithmically.
Just one man's opinion, though.
Miles
--
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is. .... Yogi Berra
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