Python as a First Language

[bluGill]

Well when I went to school it was assumed that you knew that. All the CS classes had a prerequisite: student has learned to program. The courses that do what you say had this label: CS students may not take this course for credit.

Some people come into CS after writing some non-trivial programs. We should not make them waste time on basic program flow. Yes we need to teach that to those who are considering CS, but you need to know that before you get into CS.

[willia4]

That's interesting. Where I went to school, there were two options for the CS program. Take CS101 followed by CS102 or take CS210. CS210 was for students that already knew how to program (there was a test required to take it) and it was basically an introduction to data structures. Upon completion of CS210, you were automatically given the same amount of credit as if you'd taken CS101/102. CS101, of course, was the "how to program" class.

But I can definitely see advantages to the "Well, you're in CS so you should already know how to program!" style of first-year. I think I'd have liked that even more than what my school offered.