Re: What's the position of pointers

Chris Dollin <chris.dollin@xxxxxx> writes:

Richard wrote:

Chris Dollin <chris.dollin@xxxxxx> writes:

Richard wrote:

Chris Dollin <chris.dollin@xxxxxx> writes:

Richard wrote:

You do not recommend an entirely different language to someone to learn
something as core and basic is pointer usage. The basics ARE simple and
any teacher worth his salt can get it across with a debugger and an OHP
in 2 or 3 minutes.

Or without a debugger. One might want a debugger to show how your
local implementation does things; one doesn't need one to explain

Normally one is only interested in ones local implementation.

No, /mornally/ one isn't interested in one's local implementation;
one is interested in teaching or understanding the language & code
one is writing.

You are being purposely difficult.

No, it comes naturally.

In the context of TEACHING. i.e it is
on THAT implementation that one is using tools to demonstrate the
theory. I have done a lot of it. And successfully (according to 3rd
party adjudication).

I have never said that you haven't. What I'm saying is that I
don't think that's the best way to teach pointers, because it
introduces unnecessary details & tools.

I know you have. And I say that the tools give an advantage which
totally overshadows any overhead to learn them.

Can I ask you how many people you have taught computer languages?
Without banging my own drum I have taught C, Assembler (68000 and x86),
and others and have a reasonable track record.

I *know* that in my style of teaching that pointers and similar are no
more difficult that the concept of a while loop for example when taught
using the tools to do the job.

Possibly you prefer to sit there at a chalk board and waffle on for
hours with diagrams and arrows? If that works for you then grand. It
never did for me or the people I had been asked to get up to speed.

But I know where this is heading. its the old "debuggers are evil"
mentality again and "hard to use". Well they are not and they are
not. they are trivial to use and add much to the development/learning
process.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Whats the position of pointers
    ... something as core and basic is pointer usage. ... The basics ARE simple and ... any teacher worth his salt can get it across with a debugger and an OHP ... Normally one is only interested in ones local implementation. ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Re: Whats the position of pointers
    ... something as core and basic is pointer usage. ... The basics ARE simple and ... any teacher worth his salt can get it across with a debugger and an OHP ... Normally one is only interested in ones local implementation. ...
    (comp.lang.c)
  • Re: Whats the position of pointers
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    (comp.lang.c)
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