Re: Which kid's beginners programming - Python or Forth?

BORT wrote: 
I told my son, who wants to learn how to compute probabilities, that we
have to start with some boring stuff so we can learn how to do the cool
stuff.  Adding and subtracting aren't really fun, but figuring odds on
rolling dice IS fun.  Learning to program will be kind of like that.
He accepted that explantion.

I'm not sure that you actually have to start with the boring stuff. Imagine that you have a small, but complete program that executes some random function a thousand times and plots the distribution. Your son could probably
* start to change parameters to the function
* try out the different distributions in the library
* combine them to form new distributions (e.g. roll two n-sided dice)
* build more complex simulations (pit two Dungeons&Dragons fighters against each other by rolling simulated dice)

It's a bit more work for you as you'll have to decide on each step how much of the infrastructure you implement without taking away all the challenges.

Python vs. FORTH: what you learn from Python is more easily transferred to other programming languages. And if you happend to speak German, there is "Python für Kids" <http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3826609514/qid%3D1119950457/302-9800191-4449651>

Daniel
.

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