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August 12, 2008, 03:04 PM ET
Java Jive
Java is the most popular computer-programming language in the world, according to analysts who tracks such matters. So it should be a staple of every college computer-science program, right?
Not so fast, says Robert Dewar, an emeritus professor of computer science at New York University. In an interview with InternetNews, Mr. Dewar lays out the case against Java: Students can rely heavily on the language’s libraries of pre-written code, he argues, so they’re not necessarily developing advanced programming skills.
In fact, Mr. Dewar paints a fairly grim view of computer-science programs. Department heads are worried by dropping enrollments, he says, so they have simplified their courses in an attempt to win students back. The problem, Mr. Dewar goes on to say, is that a computer-science degree facilitated with Java shortcuts isn’t as valuable as one achieved through more intensive training.
Does your institution put Java at the core of its computer-science training? Is Mr. Dewar right to worry about the language’s instructional value? —Brock Read
Categories: Computer-Science, Teaching
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