[Lazarus] Graeme would love this, or not, I think

[Marco van de Voort]

On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 12:22:50PM +0200, Hans-Peter Diettrich wrote:
> > Either your students were different, or that is very optimistic :)
> 
> Yes, I was thinking of IT students. Sorry for that :-(

Sadly enough they were, though not the highest level (aimed for bachelor as
end-diploma).  But since it was their first weeks at the school, one could
consider them secondary school students still. Extremely playful, and
interested in anything but work.

 
> > In this class, all this simply ate too much time, and even after students
> > were ackward with it. And it was only 9 x 1.5 hr, then an hour is still too
> > much.
> 
> Then a good ole homecomputer (C64 emulator...) would be more useful ;-)

Same problem as with an Dos emulator for TP. Concepts too alien, install
troubles etc.

I was actually flabbergasted by how little pre existing knowledge/experience
the avg student understood of the console concept. And that was in 2005-7,
now it will be even less.

> > Delphi on the other hand invited too much play.
> 
> This energy could be used in extra (voluntary) courses, where the 
> interested can learn more about using Delphi.

This energy does not exist outside mandatory classes :-)
 
> > The ideal usage IMHO would be a stripped lazarus/Delphi without designer,
> > and some skeleton application under "new" that instantiates a skeleton GUI
> > app (delivered in .ppu), and the students can use procedures from their
> > programs to use the skeleton units.
> 
> In your timeframe (9*1.5 hrs) I wouldn't address GUI programs at all.

I don't, that is exactly the point. But I would have wanted something the
students recognized as an IDE (read GUI app) that is hardwired to generate a
visual app, without iniviting students to do things beyond their assignment.

Later, when they are properly potty-trained they can still graduate 

 Even if that is only an
inmutable skeleton with a memo for input and output.