Why C

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Why C and Why .NET in the Undergraduate IS
CurriculumISECON November 3 -7, 2004, Newport,
RIAssociation of Information Technology
Professionals

• Mehdi Raoufi Southwestern Oklahoma State
  University
• John Maniotes Purdue University Calumet

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INTRODUCTION What is C? What is .NET?

• C is Microsoft's latest object-oriented
  programming language developed for .NET platform
  and .NET is Microsofts latest platform
  technology for creating web services
• C is a C based language and was developed to
  provide portability for distributed applications
  over network and internet
• Application development in .NET platform can be
  done in multiple languages including C, C, and
  Visual Basic

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What is C and .NET?

• Programs developed in all of these languages are
  compiled to Microsofts Intermediate Language
  (IL) and executed within Common Language Runtime
  (CLR) similar to Java code that is translated to
  bytecode and executed by VML (Virtual Machine
  Language)
• .NET is not a programming language it's a
  virtual-machine technology

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What is C and .NET?

• .NET has a framework that provides capability to
  run a variety of web applications
• The .NET framework class library provides a set
  of classes that provide essential functionality
  for applications built within the .NET
  environment
• Web functionality, XML support, database support,
  and distributed computing support is provided by
  the .NET framework class library

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What is C and .NET?

• .NET codes are translated to Microsoft
  Intermediate Language (IL) and run within CLR
• A single .NET application may consist of several
  different languages
• ASP.NET is an upgraded version of Active Server
  Pages (ASP). Developers can create COM objects in
  Visual Basic, Visual C or C and then use
  ASP.NET page to call on those objects for a web
  interface

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• Both C and Java improve on C in a similar ways
  
• We will be explaining weaknesses of Java as an
  introductory programming language

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• Java has several weaknesses as introductory level
  programming language
• It forces novices to learn several sophisticated
  concepts even to write a very simple program
• Students who are new to programming should sort
  through some complicated issues before learning
  the main programming concepts

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• This becomes very frustrating with some students
  who discard programming without giving it a good
  chance to succeed
• One of the difficulties of Java for beginning
  students is standard input
• Input operations in Java are very complicated for
  beginning students to understand

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• To read a simple integer or a real value from
  console a student should use a large number of
  codes, which include while loop, Boolean
  variable, string operations, wrapper classes and
  exceptions
• To read a simple integer using GUI, students
  should learn GUI before writing a simple program,
  which requires input

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• Another difficulty with Java is exception
  handling Java requires every method to catch the
  exception generated in the body of program or
  verify the possibility of these exceptions in a
  throws clause
• Java programmers should learn and use exception
  for a simple program

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• In an introductory course, usually students are
  left to choose from many different environments
  to compile and run a Java program
• In many cases, beginning students are required to
  use too much effort without proper guidance to
  download software, and configure their computer
  to run a simple Java program

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• This makes some students so frustrated that they
  put programming away without giving it a fair
  chance to succeed
• Students are overwhelmed with number of
  environments and how to choose the best one

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• These environments range using command line to
  compile and execute a Java program using notepad,
  to smart editors as textpad, or IDE (Integrated
  Development Environment)as JBuilder
• Students, who do not use IDE have difficulty
  developing a medium size program and difficulty
  dealing with large number of classes and their
  methods

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• Microsoft has made using its Visual Studio .NET
  available almost for all students in institutions
  of higher learning with a nominal fee of a few
  dollars
• Using Visual Studio .NET gives a single easy way
  to learn IDE for students who are using C as an
  introductory language
• Students use skills learned in IDE of Visual
  Studio .NET to learn other programming languages
  in .NET environment (VB .NET)

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• The concept of using getter methods to
  encapsulate internal object properties is a
  design pattern that spans object-oriented
  languages. It isn't limited to C or Java.
• C has taken the concept of properties a step
  further by actually building getter methods
  into the language semantics.

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Teaching First Programming Course Using C

• An object property has a type, a set method, and
  a get method. The set and get methods of the
  property determine how the property's value is
  set and retrieved

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Conclusion

• C provides a more proper language for teaching
  introductory course for beginning students
• Microsoft Visual Studio .NET provides a more
  proper environment to teach introductory course
  for beginning students
• Java platform is neutral with respect to
  operating systems

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Conclusion

• On the other hand, we cannot ignore the
  tremendous financial and technical resources of
  Microsoft
• Microsoft is the dominate force on the PC Windows
  Operating Systems. If C .NET is released from
  its Windows dependency, we think that Microsoft's
  dominance and financial muscle may propel C over
  Java in the IT community

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Conclusion

• Questions
• Comments
• Observation