Dirty Secrets

1
Dirty Secrets

• Introduction to Programming books arent.
• Are really Intro to Programs-in-the-Syntax-of-L
  anguage-X
• Bulk of book (and class) content devoted to
  language-specific idiosyncratic
  implementations of generic algorithmic
  constructs... not programming.
• Treatment of debugging limited to asides,
  sidebars and tips.
• Students develop programming practices ad hoc
  while fighting deadlines.

• Software Engineering isnt.
• Its an academic discipline which muses about
  software engineering.
• It is not an engineering discipline that
  produces Software Engineers.
• Claim in upper division courses, lt 5 of
  student code is ever seen.

Results are predictable an entire industry
producing code that doesnt work.
2
Debugging Programming

• Tracing
• Without machine execution (execute by
  hand-and-mind).
• Fighting the execution urge (compilers make
  students stupid).

• Program components that help programs be
  debuggable
• Debug flags (as per Dees comments)
• Executable documentation (the Assert statement
  re pre- and post-conditions)

• Programming techniques to minimize debugging
• Error avoidance (Code Complete)
• Pattern mastery (Design Patterns)

3
Debugging the Environment

• Language-independent personalized tool
• Goes with student to different courses and
  languages (emacs subset?)
• Initially-small set of capabilities grow with
  the persons capability (Ban IDEs, they turn
  students into IDE-junkies).

• Practicum Courses
• Where do students learn what good code looks
  like?
• What do they learn about whats good enough?
  (10 failure A ?)
• Need a course or two where the ONLY agenda is
  producing good code.

• Advanced Coursework
• Re-think What are upper division programming
  assignments for?
• Two orthogonal dimensions concept mastery vs.
  skill development.
• Does each programming experience help the
  student know how to make his/her next program
  better, i.e., more professional ?