[MLUG] Re: good intro to programming for a teenager?

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

To All--

Thanks again for all the replies to my question.  Your answers were 
extremely helpful and I think we've gotten off on the right foot.  Chris 
is now working through the Ruby tutorial:

http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/

It is very easy to follow and it lays out all the fundamental issues in 
programming in a very clear way.  Chris has finished "Mixing It Up" and he 
feels sure that he understands it all.  I think he should write a few 
simple programs now with what he currently knows.  I'm going through the 
tutorial too and am enjoying learning a little Ruby.

My future plans for him include switching to Python after the Ruby 
tutorial, and someday getting to Jon's recommendation "Structure and 
Interpretation of Computer Programs" (aka SICP), which is free on the web 
at:

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/

He's probably 6 months to a year from getting into that one.

He has a goal:  To write a "pong" program.  That's a great idea.  I think 
he should first write a program where something caroms around a screen 
according to the laws of physics (but totally elastic, zero friction, 
angle of incidence equals angle of refraction, no angular momentum). 
Then he can make a screen saver out of that.  Then maybe pong or more 
screen savers.  Then SICP!

Mike

_______________________________________________
members mailing list
EMAIL:PROTECTED
http://mlug.missouri.edu/mailman/listinfo/members