On Sat, 2 Feb 2002, Nick Clarke wrote:
The best way to learn programming IMHO is unix shell. If it must be on a Windows platform then they could use perl, or for an oo language python or Java. Sorry, but after more than 20 years teaching programming in Schools and Colleges from the youngest to degree level, these would not 'cut the mustard' Students of all ages want their programs to look nice. They will spend hours making a simple program like a metri/imperial convertor look the part. Like it or not, it is Windows that has made them expect this. As a C programmer I would like them to learn C, followed by C++ but they would be discouraged very quickly by what appear to be drab programs. VB or Delphi are the only real options. (C Builder would be better, but for some reason it has never caught on as I would personally like it to) Kylix has just arrived, and this may change things a bit.
KDevelop has been available for some time and offers point-and-click C++ program development that is (IMO) superior to both VB and Delphi. VB, for example, doesn't even support layout management!
<snip> exact alternative - they will continue to buy. I suggest that we get back to the original idea of this thread and try to put together a distro that will enable schools to MANAGE their computer networks as easily as with RM Connect. With 400+ machines on our network we rebuild up to 20 a week - not because they are totally broken, but because with limited technician time it is quicker and easier to do this than to troubleshoot a 'flaky' machine. 30 minutes after putting in a disk and hitting reset the system is back up with all software installed and it is available to use totally from then on. Until an alternative system can do that we cannot expect hard pressed schools to even consider Linux.
30 minutes!! Try 3 minutes for an equivalent Linux build on modern hardware. Add to this the bonus feature that it is possible to build Linux terminals that are guaranteed indestructible from the software point of view. Michael