This is strange...

First off, I'm pissed that my school has decided to disconinue the AP Computer Science course but that isn't my point. My point is, isn't it strange how the majority of schools have switched over their programming for AP Comp Sci to Java programming rather than C, C#, and C++? Has anybody else run into this in their classes?

Yes. Java has became the new Pascal. :P

But should it be that way? Will Java soon overtake the C languages as the programming language of choice?

[quote author=Hazard link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45827 date=1077662001]
This is strange...

First off, I'm pissed that my school has decided to disconinue the AP Computer Science course but that isn't my point. My point is, isn't it strange how the majority of schools have switched over their programming for AP Comp Sci to Java programming rather than C, C#, and C++? Has anybody else run into this in their classes?
[/quote]

They've switched over because the AP board changed it. Sure, they could continue teaching in c++ at the class level, but why do that when the exam is going to be in java? I was lucky enough to take the class last year when it was still taught in c++.

[quote author=Hazard link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45836 date=1077662446]
But should it be that way? Will Java soon overtake the C languages as the programming language of choice?
[/quote]

No.

Just like Pascal isn't the programming language of choice. It's just something that makes them feel good.

[quote author=K link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45837 date=1077662449]
I was lucky enough to take the class last year when it was still taught in c++.
[/quote]

Same here, except 2 years ago. The only problem, a lot of my college CS courses are in java (except for 1 class so far that was in swindle). But, it really isn't that hard to understand java.

I have to admit that since I've been programming Java a lot, going back to C is difficult. Java takes care of so much, like hashtables, networking stuff, file i/o, etc., that when I go back to C and have to write everything myself it's a real pain.

Same here. I've always wanted to "be a man" and make my language C++, but I really can't find a use for where it would be best for what I'm doing.

I had a semester and a half of AP Comp Sci back in HS. From what I heard, this year the College Board switched the AB exam from C++ to Java, and so all courses that prepare you to take the exam, consequently, must switch their curriculum to Java as well. I believe the A exam has been in Java since last year. I don't know if it's that amazing of an idea, since as far as I know, most college's introductory Comp Sci courses are still being taught in C and C++. I guess the CB assumed that if someone learned Java, they'd have no trouble really understanding C++.

Even up here in Canada, the last year programming course (for highschool) is Java.

Not nessarily, at my old one, it was Visual Basic and some language I can't remember(created by someone from university of toronto) and at my new highschool its C++ and Java.

edit: Horrible Grammar and Spelling.

So what do you all think of the switch? Good or bad?

Change is EVIL >:D

I can't believe they are changing From C to Java! They should have never, ever, ever changed curriculum. They should still be teaching COBOL and FORTRAN like when I was in college.

As far as I'm concerned, C is just the third letter of our alphabet and Java is what I drink in the morning, afternoon and night. WTF happened to my Visual COBOL book?

[quote author=Thing link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45888 date=1077672606]
WTF happened to my Visual COBOL book?
[/quote]

Decomposed? :P

MrRaza, the language is called Turing and was developed by students at UFT in the 80's. Visual Basic WAS the course, but it was booted out or something.

My guess is that they moved from C to Java for object oriented learning?

Cobol is useful, wish I was forced to learn it instead of turing.

Java is a good starting language for a few reasons, It's rather simple, derived from many other languages and since its the main language being taught in college was probably the more common reason for a high school to base the change on. Theres more reasons but I think those are unarguable, and we don't need anouther language war in here too. :P

They don't offer any Computer Science courses in my district. They offer courses like C/C++, Java, Oracle, etc, but nothing AP and I feel the others are a waste of time and that they would go too slow.

I have digital imaging this year and we don't do anything or learn anything; it is a complete waste of time. We work on the crappiest ibooks which crash every 10 minutes. Our teacher just got certified this summer to teach photoshop. All she can say is "name your layers." She doesn't even know bryce but is trying to teach it to us. I can't see how the programming classes would be any different.

Next year our C++ class is becoming a Java class

[quote author=j0k3r link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45906 date=1077676640]My guess is that they moved from C to Java for object oriented learning?[/quote]

If they just wanted object-oriented, they could've gone with C++, which has some major advantages over Java (among them native support for unsigned types!) Something bigger drove the switch to New Pascal.

According to our "school computer technician" Java is appliable to more operating systems than C++. Bullshit?

[quote author=j0k3r link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45906 date=1077676640]
MrRaza, the language is called Turing and was developed by students at UFT in the 80's. Visual Basic WAS the course, but it was booted out or something.

My guess is that they moved from C to Java for object oriented learning?

Cobol is useful, wish I was forced to learn it instead of turing.
[/quote]

Turing! that's it, I didn't mind the Visual Basic course at all, we got brand new textbooks on it. But as for the move to C/C++ to Java, it doesn't really bother me since I already know enough C++ to be proficient in it to actually understand it, and Java is a nice change, and it does some of the work for you, similar to Visual Basic.

[quote author=Hazard link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=15#msg45917 date=1077678648]
According to our "school computer technician" Java is appliable to more operating systems than C++. Bullshit?
[/quote]

Not necessarily, but a Java program can be ran on more operating systems without being changed/recompiled.

Although it's also larger and slower. There are always tradeoffs...

Someone needs to help me find out why no one reads my replies. :'(

[quote author=Hazard link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=15#msg45917 date=1077678648]
According to our "school computer technician" Java is appliable to more operating systems than C++. Bullshit?
[/quote]

As Tuberload said, that's somewhat/mostly true. For instance, a Java applet that's viewed on a Windows machine can also mostly likely be viewed on a 9.x+ MacOS machine with little to no obvious differences. However, depending on how it was coded, oftentimes a C++ program coded for Windows may need to be modified in one way or another to be supported by a Mac machine.

Hrm, my highschool offers a C++ course. It also offers a java course, with the C++ course as a prereq. The AP compsci class says it recommends C++, but nothing about java. Doesn't look like my school is switching any time soon.

I'm taking AP Comp Sci right now and it's in java. The teacher, who has been programming for over 20 years, absolutely despises Java -- C++ is his language of preference.

To bad personal preference has very little to do with were the industry is headed. No one can only learn one programming language, and be very successful. Java, and C++ will coexist for years to come, and if you are serious about being a programmer why not just learn both of them?

[quote author=Kp link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=15#msg45915 date=1077678513]
[quote author=j0k3r link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45906 date=1077676640]My guess is that they moved from C to Java for object oriented learning?[/quote]

If they just wanted object-oriented, they could've gone with C++, which has some major advantages over Java (among them native support for unsigned types!) Something bigger drove the switch to New Pascal.
[/quote]
As Hostile stated (there ya got Hostile), colleges and universities are using Java, and teaching Java in highschool gives them a jump on university/college.

Good colleges are doing what they should be doing and using a variety of languages. So far, I've had to use Java, C, C++, Scheme and assembly, and I'm now nearing the end of my second year.

My current programming course is completely C. It's rather difficult to modify a Linux kernel using Java when all the kernel code is written in C. :P

[quote author=Raven link=board=2;threadid=5436;start=0#msg45867 date=1077669182]
I don't know if it's that amazing of an idea, since as far as I know, most college's introductory Comp Sci courses are still being taught in C and C++.
[/quote]

Introductory CS course here is in Java, next one is in Swindle, then C (sometimes C++) & Java. Then, from what I hear, the rest of the courses are in Java for the most part.

My school only offers HTML (Web Design I, Web Design II). Next year they are having Java AP, which I am planning to take.