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Discussion on: To C/C++ Or Not to C/C++

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projectescape profile image
Aniket • Edited

I think one should definitely start with C/C++.
Things like memory allocation, garbage collection and keeping track of stray pointers when done manually helps learn about these things and thus improve performance which a new programmer could just pay no attention at all starting off with some modern language.
Same goes for data types, and the fact that you have to manually write many functions too.

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daedtech profile image
Erik Dietrich

This was essentially CMU's reasoning for introducing us, as students, to C/C++. We re-implemented malloc(), wrote a garbage collector, implemented RSA encryption, and did several other 'basic' things.

I could definitely chalk my undergrad experience up to "those educators knew how to get us jobs." But, if I'm being perfectly honest, more than 60% of our initial undergrad cohort failed out and more than 90% of us either failed out, or re-majored.

So it wasn't "here's how CS kiddies will do well." :( It was... something else for those of us who came out :)