ML
    • Recent
    • Categories
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Groups
    • Register
    • Login

    Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Developer Discussion
    stanford universitycomputer scienceeducationuniversitycollegeel regjavajavascriptprogrammingsoftware engineering
    57 Posts 17 Posters 10.3k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • coliverC
      coliver
      last edited by

      Stamford is also one of the schools marketing CS as an IT skill. Saying that their CS students are moving into high-end IT roles.

      scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • scottalanmillerS
        scottalanmiller @coliver
        last edited by

        @coliver said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

        Stamford is also one of the schools marketing CS as an IT skill. Saying that their CS students are moving into high-end IT roles.

        LOL, they are no longer on my "serious school" list.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • W
          worden2
          last edited by

          I think Python is showing a lot of strength as a intro language as well, and it may come from a scripting background so to speak, but seems full featured enough to be easy to introduce (Scratch is based on it) and used in more sophisticated settings.

          NerdyDadN scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • NerdyDadN
            NerdyDad @worden2
            last edited by

            @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

            I think Python is showing a lot of strength as a intro language as well, and it may come from a scripting background so to speak, but seems full featured enough to be easy to introduce (Scratch is based on it) and used in more sophisticated settings.

            If you're in a Unix environment, absolutely. However, if it is a Windows environment, then I would suggest PowerShell.

            W scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • W
              worden2 @NerdyDad
              last edited by

              @nerdydad
              I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

              QuixoticJeremyQ scottalanmillerS 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • QuixoticJeremyQ
                QuixoticJeremy @worden2
                last edited by

                @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                @nerdydad
                I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                There are plenty of reasons why javascript shouldn't be used here. Python I wouldn't see as bad, nor java.

                scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • QuixoticJeremyQ
                  QuixoticJeremy @worden2
                  last edited by

                  @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                  @nerdydad
                  I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                  Ironically my intro course was C++. Luckily I had been coding in C++ for a decade at that point so I ended up teaching it but man did that make people suffer lol.

                  coliverC 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • coliverC
                    coliver @QuixoticJeremy
                    last edited by

                    @quixoticjeremy said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                    @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                    @nerdydad
                    I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                    Ironically my intro course was C++. Luckily I had been coding in C++ for a decade at that point so I ended up teaching it but man did that make people suffer lol.

                    My intro was Java. I did a advanced level CS C++ course in grad school... I barely passed that class.

                    QuixoticJeremyQ scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • black3dynamiteB
                      black3dynamite
                      last edited by

                      Isn't Java the primary android development language?

                      scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • NerdyDadN
                        NerdyDad
                        last edited by

                        I did Java and hated it. I passed with a B in all of the classes, but, did I hate it.

                        I would stick with an interpreted language as it teaches exactly what you are trying to teach, how computer understands programs. Therefore, I would go Python.

                        scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • QuixoticJeremyQ
                          QuixoticJeremy @coliver
                          last edited by

                          @coliver said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                          @quixoticjeremy said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                          @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                          @nerdydad
                          I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                          Ironically my intro course was C++. Luckily I had been coding in C++ for a decade at that point so I ended up teaching it but man did that make people suffer lol.

                          My intro was Java. I did a advanced level CS C++ course in grad school... I barely passed that class.

                          Java really is a good intro. C++ is very powerful but it makes the developer manually handle everything this really trips people up (especially when it comes to memory management). The usual result of an intro C++ course is just one long list of memory leaks in every assignment.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • scottalanmillerS
                            scottalanmiller @black3dynamite
                            last edited by

                            @black3dynamite said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                            Isn't Java the primary android development language?

                            Well, not really. Java is the primary one for doing "native" apps. But the vast majority of apps on Android are JavaScript.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • scottalanmillerS
                              scottalanmiller @worden2
                              last edited by

                              @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                              I think Python is showing a lot of strength as a intro language as well, and it may come from a scripting background so to speak, but seems full featured enough to be easy to introduce (Scratch is based on it) and used in more sophisticated settings.

                              It's perfect, lets you do anything on a technical level while not imposing layers of crap that distract you from the actual learning.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • scottalanmillerS
                                scottalanmiller @NerdyDad
                                last edited by

                                @nerdydad said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                I think Python is showing a lot of strength as a intro language as well, and it may come from a scripting background so to speak, but seems full featured enough to be easy to introduce (Scratch is based on it) and used in more sophisticated settings.

                                If you're in a Unix environment, absolutely. However, if it is a Windows environment, then I would suggest PowerShell.

                                No no. Python is equally applicable in both. PowerShell has no place whatsoever in any CS or programming or software engineering courseware. Shells are not for CS use, they are special, crippled languages for the sole purpose of managing and maintaining an operating system. PS is a horrible language with all of the negatives of Java and none of the positives.

                                QuixoticJeremyQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                • scottalanmillerS
                                  scottalanmiller @worden2
                                  last edited by

                                  @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                  @nerdydad
                                  I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                                  But if doing CS on Windows (why would someone do this) you'd still do Python.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • QuixoticJeremyQ
                                    QuixoticJeremy @scottalanmiller
                                    last edited by

                                    @scottalanmiller said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                    @nerdydad said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                    @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                    I think Python is showing a lot of strength as a intro language as well, and it may come from a scripting background so to speak, but seems full featured enough to be easy to introduce (Scratch is based on it) and used in more sophisticated settings.

                                    If you're in a Unix environment, absolutely. However, if it is a Windows environment, then I would suggest PowerShell.

                                    No no. Python is equally applicable in both. PowerShell has no place whatsoever in any CS or programming or software engineering courseware. Shells are not for CS use, they are special, crippled languages for the sole purpose of managing and maintaining an operating system. PS is a horrible language with all of the negatives of Java and none of the positives.

                                    I never touched powershell in regards to anything SE oriented. Only on the IT side of my experience.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • scottalanmillerS
                                      scottalanmiller @QuixoticJeremy
                                      last edited by

                                      @quixoticjeremy said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                      @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                      @nerdydad
                                      I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                                      There are plenty of reasons why javascript shouldn't be used here. Python I wouldn't see as bad, nor java.

                                      Java over JS for sure. Python is uniquely really perfect for this. Anything running on the JRE or .NET runtimes, or anything compiled are unnecessarily cumbersome. Perl is a hot mess. Ruby is far too unique. JS has no REPL and running on Node is insane for new users. Tcl is out of use. Python really stands alone in this field.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • scottalanmillerS
                                        scottalanmiller @coliver
                                        last edited by

                                        @coliver said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                        @quixoticjeremy said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                        @worden2 said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                        @nerdydad
                                        I concur. Powershell is insanely important to any Windows experience. I was speaking to the idea of a SINGLE language for an intro CS course. I suggested it since Python is platform independent to a large degree and IMHO superior to JavaScript for filling that role. Personally, I agree that we should just get back to C. C is the core language for so many things, and even if you extend IT down into the Internet of Things and microcontrollers etc. it is still extremely relevant.

                                        Ironically my intro course was C++. Luckily I had been coding in C++ for a decade at that point so I ended up teaching it but man did that make people suffer lol.

                                        My intro was Java. I did a advanced level CS C++ course in grad school... I barely passed that class.

                                        My intro in college was Fortran 77, then C. I taught both.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • scottalanmillerS
                                          scottalanmiller @NerdyDad
                                          last edited by

                                          @nerdydad said in Stanford Removes Java in Favor of JavaScript in Intro to Computer Science Course:

                                          I did Java and hated it. I passed with a B in all of the classes, but, did I hate it.

                                          I would stick with an interpreted language as it teaches exactly what you are trying to teach, how computer understands programs. Therefore, I would go Python.

                                          I love Java, great language and architecture. Just not appropriate to someone trying to learn the basics.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • NerdyDadN
                                            NerdyDad
                                            last edited by

                                            I know that this is more of sunk costs, but when I was in college, I went for IT. I have never yet used Java in any part of my career. Would have much rather had a language that I could have used to automate systems with instead of SE tasks (no offense to those in SE, just not what I went for).

                                            scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 3
                                            • 2 / 3
                                            • First post
                                              Last post