From: Shalev NessAiver <shalev@...>
Date: 2005-02-14T12:41:03+09:00
Subject: Re: Printing why's (poignant) guide to ruby

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I agree. I've just started teaching someone C++ and he had no problem=20
with \n. This is the first time he's ever looked at a language but,=20
even so, it's not like he's a dumb person. Often times it seems we=20
(programmers) underestimate the ability of non-programmers to learn=20
programming. We tell ourselves that the only reason it looks simple to=20=

us is because we're so used to it when, really, a lot of it is pretty=20
simple. The parts that we find a bit difficult - that's what we should=20=

focus on.  (That last statement may be a little to limiting, it's just=20=

a thought).

-Shalev

On Feb 13, 2005, at 9:55 PM, James Britt wrote:

> Anders Engstr=F6m wrote:
>> That '\n' is pretty confusing for a newbie.
>
> How do you know that?
>
> I'd be interested in any good sources that detail the sort of things=20=

> different types of newbies find troublesome or confusing.
>
> Offhand, I don't quite see that "\n" would be such a problem given a=20=

> reasonably succinct explanation.  My own experience with teaching=20
> programming newbies suggests that most of them are comfortable with=20
> fairly straight-forward edicts (e.g., "That's just how you tell the=20
> computer to start writing to a new line").
>
> It's the more abstract stuff (e.g., blocks, high-order functions, even=20=

> the notion of a variable) that spooks them.
>
> James
>

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