[nzlug] HBCLUG GNU/Linux Initiative - initial success!

[Guy K. Kloss]

On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 1:21:44 am Simon Bridge wrote:
> * C# was suggested as good for a beginner programmer over Java or C/C
> ++ ... this seems to be one of those "vi-vs-emacs" debates, but doesn't
> C# tie you to the .net framework? How careful do you have to be to end
> up with FOSS C# code?

You *can* do C# without the need of .net by using Mono. There are quite a few 
C#/Mono based projects around in the GNU/Linux world, and probably just as 
well as available within your distribution.

> I suggested Java or Python for the kinds of things I learned in BASIC
> and Pascal. But I've used neither (of the former). I also pointed out
> that people who think they want to "dabble" in programming under linux
> usually end up trying much more than the same person would attempt in a
> closed environment... so lets provide the tools huh?

I can only second Python as an excellent and easy learning language with a 
good success feeling. One part of the big charm of Python is also the 
interactive interpreter shell to test and try out, and then migrate into your 
editor. That bundled with the easy syntax and a huge bag of available modules 
and libraries make it really easy for many types of projects: stand alone 
apps, scripts/tools/utilities, GUI apps, web apps, ...

You can find good resources on getting started with Python here, among 100s of 
other sites: http://nzpug.org/GettingStarted

On that topic as well: Colin is giving a talk tonight at the Auckland LUG on 
the topic of Open Source in teaching, with a certain focus also on Python. 
More specifically on Teaching Python will be in the March meeting's talk at 
the NZ Python User Group's Auckland meeting: http://nzpug.org/

Guy

-- 
Guy K. Kloss
Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences
Te Kura Putaiao o Mohiohio me Pangarau
Room 2.63, Quad Block A Building
Massey University, Auckland, Albany
Private Bag 102 904, North Shore Mail Centre
voice: +64 9 414-0800 ext. 9585   fax: +64 9 441-8181
eMail: G.Kloss at massey.ac.nz  http://www.massey.ac.nz/~gkloss/
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