What's academia's obsession with Java?

AP Computer Science is my easy course. No kidding.

See, I've had some computer programming experience before. I learned TiBasic for the calculator to do my 8th grade geometry homework in about 30 seconds. I learned some basic Python over the summer, and took a look at some C++ at one time or another.

It got me thinking about why schools (or the AP curriculum, specifically), and more and more colleges, usually teach Java as their primary programming language. I mean, it was the Big Thing™ in programming a few years ago, but is no longer hyped up so much. In the real world, a knowledge of Java is not as useful as, say, C++.

A common argument is that Java is taught as a "beginner's" language, because the references and pointers of C++ can be a bis-nitch. But the syntax of Java is just as bad as C++, if not worse. There's a lot of "just do this now, it'll be explained to you later" going on in my Computer Science class. (Not exactly easy to explain "public static void main(String[] args) {}" to someone without programming experience.)

If that's the whole reason, why couldn't you just teach Python first, and then graduate to C++? With Python, the syntax is much simpler, and you don't even have to compile the code. (No wasting time figuring out that your code won't work becuase you missed a semicolon. Man, that would save me time in class, not having to debug everyone else's code.) Heck, it even teaches good programming habits, such as using indents meaningfully.

I suppose this shows you just how much influence the College Board (makers of the AP curriculum) have, for better or for worse. (Of course, there are plenty of upsides to having a standardized national collegiate curriculum for high schools, just not in computer science.)

In the end, I guess you have to cut acedemia some slack on their choice of programming language. It's really hard to change standards, so when the College Board adopted Java, it's not an easy thing to change their minds.

Sorry if this post was too technical. Hey, at least I'm not (directly) complaining about school!

Important, Relevant, Interesting

I know, I've complained about the school system a lot lately. I'll promise that after this post I'll hold back a little. (Hey, at least I'm posting, right?)

It seems like teachers give us too many pointless assignments, and we study too many pointless things. I was pondering the criterion that keeps something from not being pointless. I came up with this: Work or information in school is worth it if it is either important, relevant or interesting.

Something is important if you need to know it, regardless if you like it or not, or if an individual student is going to do something related later in life related to the subject. Multiplication is important. Fundamental US history is important. Basic grammar is important.

Something is relevant if you need to know it in order to be able to understand something that is important or enjoyable. Although few people in my networking class (sans moi) enjoyed learning about binary math, it was important to be able to understand IP addresses, and was thus relevant.

Something is enjoyable if the learner finds the topic or work interesting or fun. Although there is nothing that everyone finds enjoyable, there are things that no one finds enjoyable.

It seems so often that teachers give out work without thinking, "What will my students get out of this?" It seems like we're forced to take courses just because they're hard, and not because we'll get anything out of it.

Too bad I can't just title an English paper Beowulf: Nobody gives a s***.

If I didn't have too much to do

The internets are bitter and ironic.

I stumbled across a wiki, with articles about the differences between not having enough time, and having too much to do. (Stop contradicting me!)

Not having enough time is an unsolvable problem. There's no way to create more time, unless an asteroid suddenly hits the earth and days are 25 hours long.

Having too much to do is the opposite. You can work smarter and harder, and find a way to solve said problem.

I guess time is like the law of conservation of energy, where it cannot be created, but can be changed in form.

Inspiring, perhaps, but doesn't neccesarily make essays less intimidating. Pity.

When I have more time

I'll post to my blog, when I have more time.

I'll read more, when I have more time.

I'll study for math competitions, when I have more time.

I'll write, when I have more time.

I'll program, when I have more time.

I'll have fun, when I have more time.

Why am I giving away all of my time in the first place?