[ILUG] Linux Summer Course for Secondary Students

[John P. Looney]

On Tue, Apr 18, 2000 at 05:22:07PM +0100, adam beecher mentioned:
> > I know... Perl is my preferred script-programming language,
> > but I thought Python would be easier for younger students
> > who perhaps have no previous programming experience. It
> > can also be used for developing GUIs. So I thought Python
> > would be more suitable than Perl... maybe this is a
> > mistake?
> >
> 
> Not a mistake, but it might be an idea to introduce/demonstrate a *range* of
> "web programming languages" to them, and then focus on one. I just suggested
> PHP because it really is pretty simple to use. Some people look down on PHP,
> but what the hell, it gets the job done and doing things like interfacing
> with a DB is like pissing up a rope. How bad?

 It should be pointed out that the Python website has teaching materials
on it[0]. It's very very easy to make a course for it. It's certainly written
for easying people into programming. PHP is also quite good, it's only big
fault for learners is that the API is huge. Anything that can give you
signal 11's (C) or usually looks like line noise (perl) is bad for
beginners ;)

 BTW, is there a PHP tutorial type thing or what ?

Kate

[0] Perhaps I should learn it someday

-- 
"The fool must be beaten with a stick, for an intelligent person 
the merest hint is sufficient"                -- Zen Master Greg