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- From: mwm@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us (Mike Meyer)
- Subject: Re: Programming
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc,comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
- Distribution: world
- References: <mwm.2n8f@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us> <1e4r1uINN2jt@ub.d.umn.edu> <92321.095417DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu>
- X-NewsSoftware: Amiga Yarn 3.4, 1992/08/12 15:49:52
- Keywords:
- Summary:
- Message-ID: <mwm.2okn@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us>
- Date: 17 Nov 92 11:04:51 PST
- Organization: Missionaria Phonibalonica
- Lines: 56
-
- In <92321.095417DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu>, DXB132@psuvm.psu.edu wrote:
- > In article <mwm.2npl@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us>, mwm@contessa.palo-alto.ca.us
- > (Mike Meyer) says:
- > >In <1e6dbmINNh75@ub.d.umn.edu>, rfentima@ub.d.umn.edu (Robert Fentiman) wrote:
- > Your point?
-
- That AMOS doesn't support the same technics as all BASICs. Of course,
- you lost the context (as usual).
-
- > >> I don't need to worry about clipping when I do
- > >> a game, for example). I write programs to do what they are supposed
- > >> to do. If you think these bad habits, argue with my CS teachers and go
- > >> (re)take some classes yourself.
- >
- > >Try asking your CS teacher (or me; I used to teach the stuff) about
- > :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
- > >poking the hardware directly, or complying with interface guidelines.
- >
- > That doesn't surprise me. You fit the CmpSci stereotype to a T.
-
- Mathematician, actually. You fit the engineering stereotype to a T.
-
- > >I dunno - I don't consider that any class of programs that has >50%
- > >(and Euro Demos approach are >75%) crash on my machine as being "good
- > >programs". Likewise, anything that wants to treat my computer like a
- > >game console (i.e. - reboot it to run a program) isn't a good program,
- > >either.
- >
- > Hate to break it to you, but your computer IS a game console adapted to a
- > computer. Why not enjoy it? You're the computer equivilent of Scrooge.
-
- Because if I was as fascinated by bright lights and pretty colors as
- you are, I would have *bought* a game console. I hate to break this to
- you, but your game console happens to be a very slick multitasking
- computer. Why make it act like an MS-DOS machine? You're acting like
- Othello.
-
- > If AMOS isn't good for beginners, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS.
-
- Well, being a stereotypical CS type, I'll use the stereotypical CS
- answer: what do they want to do? Unlike you, I happen to believe that
- tools have applications for which they are suitable, and you should
- use the right tool for the job. If they are interested in flash and
- not substance, or pretty blinking lights, then AMOS may be just the
- tool for them.
-
- > I suppose you think beginners should first obtain a PhD in CmpSci,
- > then buy all the RKMs and program the Amiga in LISP. Riiiight.
-
- If they're lucky enough not to have been exposed to BASIC, and want to
- learn how to program, then they couldn't do better than Abelson and
- Sussman's text. For people like you, Srpinger and Friedman have
- written something that's a bit easier going. These texts teach
- programming, which is what they want to learn.
-
- <mike
-