111–119 of 119 posts
I would suggest a language like newlisp ( http://newlisp.org ), that has enough libraries to do unix scripting. Also, you should consider teaching him awk because it has simple semantics and it will be simpler for him to switch to C later. Btw, why do you hate C ?
then js+jquery with firebug console as repl
There's lots of good advice here, and I've upmodded the ones I agree with. But, really, it doesn't matter. Anything that lets him create something is good. Some people here are concerned about "best programming practices" and learning certain lessons. He's 13. Just let him play, and if he likes programming, he'll continue learning.
I've heard several people say that when people start with PHP (or [insert language here]) they develop poor programming habits. Learning PHP or whatever else first could be the difference between becoming a casual programmer and a serious hacker.
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I've heard several people say that when people start with PHP (or [insert language here]) they develop poor programming habits. Learning PHP or whatever else first could be the difference between becoming a casual programmer and a serious hacker.
I submit the concept of "poor programming habits" does not exist for a 13-year-old.
I think your "let the kid be a kid" argument is valid though. It could be overwhelming and turn him off to the whole thing is coding appears to be too strict.
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I submit the concept of "poor programming habits" does not exist for a 13-year-old.
Not yet and that is my point. That concept does not exist for anyone who has not programmed. I think we just have a disagreement philosophically in the proper approach. I think that this kid should be carefully molded into a coder who does things the right way because he already seems to have an interest. If he did not have an interest already then I could see why you would want to "ease" him into things. I think you…
In order for someone to decide it's worth their time to learn the best practices for anything, they first have to reach the point where they decide "I want to get good at this." The kid may never reach that point, and that's okay, too.
Kids express interest in lots of things. That doesn't mean they'll do any of them for the rest of their life.
I would recommend Python or if the Unix/Linux component isn't as important, JavaScript. JavaScript would allow your brother to share his creations with friends and learning the amazing (and at times frustrating world) world of the web.
There is a lot of explanation for any language, but with javascript there is a compiler/runtime on every computer.
I would recommend Python or if the Unix/Linux component isn't as important, JavaScript. JavaScript would allow your brother to share his creations with friends and learning the amazing (and at times frustrating world) world of the web.
Go with Python. I taught my 7-year old nephew Python in an hour, but failed to teach him javascript. There's just too much to type and explain. Also, it's easier to explain to someone if you have an interpreter going and they can see the results.
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Second on the idea that it should be quick and easy to make useful stuff, but I have to disagree on PHP. Most of the example code out there is terrible, out of date or both. It's very easy to make a mess in PHP. Python seems to be the teaching language of choice these days, and it lets you do useful stuff without getting in the way. It's certainly not the only language to learn, but I'm inclined to say it should be t…
There's nothing wrong with PHP 5. As long as he's learning about all the latest stuff, it's a perfect language. It features functional aspects to get him started and then he can graduate to OOP concepts. Since he's learning from scratch, stuff like objects and public/protected/private members might be a little farther down the line. PHP lets you get the basics of variables, arrays, functions, etc. out of the way with…