From: Jan <bye@...>
Date: 2004-08-28T20:10:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Typos (Was: performance comparison)

Lothar Scholz wrote:


> GS> Some people are very good at programming in dynamic languages.  You
> GS> get better with practice.  The difference is that the practice is
> GS> enjoyable :)
> 
> But to be honest i think the most people using script languages are
> not very good programmers. This has to do that they are very good
> beginner languages for non technical persons who wants to see results
> instead of learning a theory first.
> 
> But seeing results immediately make it a lot more difficult to think
> about special conditions and error handlings. Adding this skills later
> is much more difficult. So i can understand that a lot of universities
> start teaching functional strong typed languages.
> 
> 

I'm seeing something different actually. Students in my class (computer 
science), are more interested in ruby. Absolute beginners on the other 
hand (not schooled in "thinking about special conditions and error 
handling"), tend to rather grab a "C++ in 21 days" book, or a "Java for 
dummies book". Not because they plan to write huge programs, or need the 
speed, but just because others use it. Suggest beginning with ruby, and 
they just say "never heard of it, so I won't bother".

Ruby may be an ideal language for beginners, but beginners tend not to 
find the way to it.