31–40 of 80 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
VB.Net is far closer to C# or Java than VB6. It's like a real grown up OO language now.
Definitely. .NET is .NET and especially being imperative, VB is mostly just syntactic differences over C#. But neither of those languages are tested on the AP exam ;)
To be honest I think VB.Net is a decent choice for a high school level course. It's an approachable modern language backed by a huge framework with easy access to web, Windows and console programming. The IDE is free and relatively user friendly for someone familiar with Windows, which is much more likely than anything else. Don't underestimate VB.Net. It has a terrible history but most of that ended with VB6. Anothe…
I don't mean this as flamebait at all.. Really. I very much respect the .NET platform... but honestly, something really bothers me about the idea of teaching a proprietary language & platform in public schools when there are sooo many amazing open source options available..
At my high school we were taught to use Word and Excel because those were considered essential skills. We could have learnt Open Office or something else but really, how often are we going to encounter that in the real world? In terms of practical use, .Net is not a bad choice.
Personally I would like to see Python for getting started and practical use and maybe Scheme for going deeper.
Hold on, newsisan, there are thousands of Python hackers here. Let's see if any cavalry ride to your rescue.
I'm not a Python guy so this will be weak, but I'll do my bit.
1. Community. Python is far more widespread in the web, open source, and scientific communities. It will be much easier to find interesting projects to play with and libraries to build on.
2. Simplicity. Contrary to what your teacher may have heard, Python is an excellent beginner language. VB.Net is actually way more complicated. It's Microsoft propaganda that positions VB.Net as the best language for beginners. (Edit: it seems nearly everyone here disagrees with this. Am I crazy? Let's hear from some Python people.)
3. Quality. Python is far more organized around clean programming constructs and practices than VB.Net, which is an arbitrary mess.
4. Openness. Python gives all the advantages of an open codebase and platform. I suppose I should list some, but I'm tired.
5. The REPL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Read-eval-print_loop) is hands-down the best technique for playing with programming concepts, trying out ideas and getting feedback, learning, and coming up with the building blocks for programs. Once you've gotten comfortable with the REPL you'll never want to live without it again. No one should learn programming without this invaluable resource, which Python has and VB.Net does not.
5. Cool. VB.Net is the ultimate in uncool. Python holds its own just fine. Frivolous? Yeah, but there are deep reasons for these things. Learn Python so the other programmers won't smell VB on you and peck you to death.
Good luck!
p.s. A simple additional principle you should know: never try to talk a programmer out of their favorite language. It can't be done. If your teacher is deeply attached to VB.Net, just go with what he wants and enjoy the positive aspects of the class (if he's a great teacher, that's the most important thing anyway and you're lucky to have him). If he doesn't care that much, though, maybe you can wear him down with your enthusiasm. :)
pp.s. Worst case scenario, write all the programs in Python and then rewrite them in VB.Net to hand in. You'll have more fun and learn more.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Definitely. .NET is .NET and especially being imperative, VB is mostly just syntactic differences over C#. But neither of those languages are tested on the AP exam ;)
What is an AP exam? I'm from New Zealand so I'm guessing it's something we don't have.
One thing that you guys are forgetting is that Python is completely portable while VB.net requires Mono at the least on non-Windows systems. In a learning environment I think this is more than trivial.
The other thing people are forgetting is that starting with VB.Net gives a nice predictable IDE which any student can replicate at home with a simple installer. Anything like python comes with so many options and opinions that it can actually be a distraction from learning to program.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Definitely. .NET is .NET and especially being imperative, VB is mostly just syntactic differences over C#. But neither of those languages are tested on the AP exam ;)
What is an AP exam? I'm from New Zealand so I'm guessing it's something we don't have.
To be honest I think VB.Net is a decent choice for a high school level course. It's an approachable modern language backed by a huge framework with easy access to web, Windows and console programming. The IDE is free and relatively user friendly for someone familiar with Windows, which is much more likely than anything else. Don't underestimate VB.Net. It has a terrible history but most of that ended with VB6. Anothe…
I don't mean this as flamebait at all.. Really. I very much respect the .NET platform... but honestly, something really bothers me about the idea of teaching a proprietary language & platform in public schools when there are sooo many amazing open source options available..
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't mean this as flamebait at all.. Really. I very much respect the .NET platform... but honestly, something really bothers me about the idea of teaching a proprietary language & platform in public schools when there are sooo many amazing open source options available..
Proprietary or not, it is an accessible language and IDE. The idea of learning an open language is a good one. But, I think at the high-school level, it would be more important to expose students to something with a low barrier of entry. I don't mean the language, but the entire package. With VB you install one application, and you get an environment where you basically type code and press a play button to get it to…
Python is used at many top colleges as the into course (Georgia Tech and MIT are ones I know off the top of my head) and additionally, Zed Shaw has written an excellent first text on the language downloadable for free (http://learnpythonthehardway.org/index)
Additionally: Nothing is stopping you from ALSO learning python at the same time.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Proprietary or not, it is an accessible language and IDE. The idea of learning an open language is a good one. But, I think at the high-school level, it would be more important to expose students to something with a low barrier of entry. I don't mean the language, but the entire package. With VB you install one application, and you get an environment where you basically type code and press a play button to get it to…
How accessible is VB.NET for all those kids who own a Mac?