[aklug] Re: C: the early days

* Arthur Corliss <acorliss@nevaeh-linux.org> [120108 11:29]:
> On Sun, 8 Jan 2012, Jim Gribbin wrote:
>
> > Wasn't a fan of Pascal either. It is a structered language, which I liked,
> > but it was all interpretive. I was into the fully compiling languages like
> > Assembly, Fortan, & PL/1.
>
> As a fan of Pascal myself I'd have to challenge your recollection. Pascal
> has always been a compiled language, and (if wikipedia can be trusted) was a
> self-hosting compiler in mid-1970.
>
> Pascal is still going strong via the Free Pascal project, and Borland (which
> is now Embarcadero (sp?)) still has Delphi. I've been a user of the Borland
> products since the '80s, and have always though highly of them.
  I trained on Borland from 1987 thru.... via University of Ak,
  Borland was omniscient. Borland did a good job of embedding its
  products in CS classes in this area. But I found Borland code to
  not be compatible with *nix.

  About 2004/2005 I was contacted by folks at Mat-Su college with a
  search for a teacher of C. Since by that time I had been coding in
  C for 16 years I decided to take a look at the job specs.
  
  I responded to the request then looked over the curriculum and the
  textbook. The textbook dated back to 1988, preceding the first
  Ansi C standardization (C89) by a year and, what was at the time
  the current standard, by 11 years, I think. I made the following
  comment (sic) to the interviewer:

  """
  We should be teaching to a current technical specification.
  Teaching C is not the same as teaching the classics.
  """
  The interviewer's eyes glazed over. I was relieved not to be
  offered the job. I would have definitely been conflicted about
  accepting it. I'm sure the interview thought I was going to be a
  trouble maker and not put my toe to the academic line.

  I think if C is taught in school, the Ansi should be taught.
  Teaching to a specific compiler suite is like teaching RTF as
  opposed to M$ Word or Wordperfect. But it's done all the time.
  
  JMTCW
 
  Just curious : Does borland had anything for linux now?

-- 
Tim 
tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
http://www.akwebsoft.com
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