[Yr7-10it] Scratch, Gamemaker, VB.net, Python, PHP andMySQL - Programming for all levels

[Tony Forster]

> I am surprised PHP does not get a mention considering the pervasiveness of 
> its use not least of
> which  with MySQL in ready made cms solutions.

Thanks Kevork
My list was of game programming languages suitable for school, maybe PHP is 
suitable too. Bill has produced statistics too and maybe thats the list you 
are referring to.

Your list is very useful and highlights the choice of language in career 
terms.

Two points though
1) If we are talking years 7-10 there are other reasons to study programming 
apart from using that particular language in later life. Programming can be 
used as a science lab for running experiments in biology, physics and maths. 
There are even teachers using it for literacy/story telling. In this 
context, the real-world popularity of a language may be less important than 
its ability to provide a window to powerful ideas.

2) There is great volatility in the popularity of these languages if you 
view the graphs. If we are talking year 7's going through a 3 year degree 
and allow 2 years to bed down a teaching language in schools there is 10 
lag. The language popularity table will bear little relationship to what we 
see now. We need to think in terms of generalised (programming) skills 
rather than proficiency with a particular language.

Nevertheless a valuable contribution to the discussion
Thanks