This letter is associated with the following article:
Letters
Thursday, September 14, 2006 12:00 AM

Why Johnny can't code

BASIC used to be on every computer a child touched -- but today there's no easy way for kids to get hooked on programming.
By David Brin

Read other letters about this article

  • Thursday, September 14, 2006 06:10 AM

    Foolish Nostalgia

    I learned programming toggling levers on a PDP8 to manually turn each bit on or off, 0 or 1. I could say the same about that experience being more valuable than basic. Or assembly or anything else.

    This is just foolish nostalgia.

    If you want a language that is almost universally available and simple, then look at javascript or PHP.

    —Kathygnome

    Flag
Read other letters about this article

Most Active Letters Threads

740

The commendably missing element from Obama's speech

There was no pretense that human rights is our goal, or the likely outcome, in escalating the war
Glenn Greenwald Read article
399

Do Obama officials know what his Afghanistan plan is?

What explains the completely contradictory statements from key aides on a central plank of the war strategy?
Glenn Greenwald Read article
395

America's regression

It's almost impossible to find a nation with as many torture advocates as the U.S. has.
Glenn Greenwald Read article
316

Palin: Birthers have "fair question" about Obama

Of Obama birth, the ex-governor says, "the public is still, rightfully, making it an issue" (Updated)
Alex Koppelman Read article
211

The poster boy for progressive self-delusion

Read Hayden's 2008 Obama endorsement to remember the way the left sold our centrist president to itself
Joan Walsh Read article

View all »

Letters Help

Currently in Salon