>C is a much, much better “lower” level language for really grasping the way programming works, and Python is a much, much more fun language if you want to lower the barriers to entry and get students making things right away.
I've never seen it put quite like this, but it seems correct and important. The languages with lower barriers to entry also tend to be easier to explore computer science in. There are some languages like C or assembly that make it easy to understand how the machine works and some languages like Python, Javascript, Lua, or Scheme (sorted in descending in order of how much they get in your way) that make it easy to try new concepts, and a student in university could very well end up knowing no languages from either of these categories.
I was lucky enough to circumvent most of these issues by using my mandatory CS courses as an annoying supplement to my programming contest preparation and game programming projects.
Comments
>C is a much, much better “lower” level language for really grasping the way programming works, and Python is a much, much more fun language if you want to lower the barriers to entry and get students making things right away.
I've never seen it put quite like this, but it seems correct and important. The languages with lower barriers to entry also tend to be easier to explore computer science in. There are some languages like C or assembly that make it easy to understand how the machine works and some languages like Python, Javascript, Lua, or Scheme (sorted in descending in order of how much they get in your way) that make it easy to try new concepts, and a student in university could very well end up knowing no languages from either of these categories.
I was lucky enough to circumvent most of these issues by using my mandatory CS courses as an annoying supplement to my programming contest preparation and game programming projects.