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

[Bill Kerr]

On 9/17/07, Kevork Krozian <Kroset at novell1.fhc.vic.edu.au> wrote:

> Check out http://www.tiobe.com/tpci.htm for a "league table" of language
> popularity.
> The order of popularity starting from the top is Java, C , (Visual) Basic,
> PHP ....    with python at Number 8.
> Scratch is 2new to be listed it seems - even in the top 50.


Kevork,
It worries me that you present this league table in the context of a
discussion about the merits of  programming languages for children, without
seeing the need for an accompanying argument.

I point this out not just to be difficult but because I don't agree with the
unstated implication that vocational factors ought to trump educational
factors - surely something else needs to be said when such as table is
presented?

ie. what weight ought to be assigned to the league table
note their disclaimer: "Observe that the TIOBE index is not about the
*best*programming language or the language in which
*most lines of code* have been written."
http://www.tiobe.com/tpci.htm

I would have thought that Harvard University using scratch as an
introduction to their Java programming course ought to count for something

-- 
Bill Kerr
http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/
http://www.users.on.net/~billkerr/
skype: billkerr2006
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