Teaching how to code in schools...

October 14, 2007

Over the years Microsoft has done this great marketing that makes (almost) everyone to use their tools, mainly because (almost) all computers ship with Windows pre-installed (Assismática is starting to sell computers with Ubuntu in Portugal) and “simple users” do not know any other alternative.

In this context, I support actions that take opensource (or not) alternatives to some places, like schools (PT) that show people that there are some free (and open) alternatives too. Although I think some Microsoft software is better, I believe each user should make their own decision and to do that, they should know all options. About this, Tecnonov is having its second edition this year and it will be a nice event to show people other options.

A few days ago I saw another perspective to solve this problem: Tom Morris thinks that teaching people how to code they will value more OpenSource alternatives and also help them in their own life with structure thinking. Well I had this idea that management student should learn relational databases since that really helps them organizing stuff. I am happy that someone thought something similar, but taking it farther to programming itself. And he mentions Python, Ruby or other dynamic language to be chosen.

I’m not sure how possible this is, but I’m sure some it would help some people. Any thoughts on this one?

Tagged with: en, opensource, education, python, ruby
This post has 5 comments. Feel free to read them and leave your own.

Rob
Oh please, everyone knows that it wasn't "great marketing" that made people use Microsoft software! Do the anti-trust cases (which they lost) ring any bell? I always found Microsoft ads or campaigns rather crap and unappealing.

dscape
Microsoft Software has stopped the innovation process with Windows 95.

The only solution they have that I feel is superior to all others is Office. But not for that price tag. It's like photoshop, it's great but I don't have that kind of money to pay for Software.

I don't believe you feel that Microsoft is superior to other software houses, your just saying that to please your superiors at the MSP program. In fact Microsoft is getting behind the competition. No major changes in windows, usability continues to be bad (it used to be good in 95, not now that 12 years have passed).

The web has changed, and the software models that used to e pointed as the future are, as I speak, becoming the future.

I might not know what that future is but I can tell you one thing, that future is not Microsoft.

Levi Figueira
First of all, I'm just wondering why both the above comments are related to one sentence (an opinion/comment, actually) when the main subject of this post is actually about teaching programming, specifically open source languages and frameworks, as a pedagogic tool, just like algebra or geometry.

And on that, I couldn't agree more, as I now find programming to be such a useful tool to lay out ideas that come to my mind, and could be translated into great, useful apps, not only for my own private usage and productivity, but for others aswell...

:)

Alcides
Levi's right, both dscape and Rob missed the point of this post (I wonder why...).

I wanted to hear some opinions on how teaching programming to everyone in school (not only in computer science courses) would help them.

Jorge
I think it would be very useful. Knowing any programming language can be as useful as knowing english.

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I used to write in this blog, but I've found a better format to express myself. From now on, you may read my writings on ideas, programming and politics on my new wiki.

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Name: Alcides Fonseca
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Nov 24, 1988 40.197958, -8.408312

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