[PLUG-TALK] What they teach in CS classes

Michael Rasmussen mikeraz at patch.com
Tue Dec 6 14:56:17 UTC 2005


On another list I saw this appeal:

  Ok, am computer science major and all my programming class have dealt
  with java, but I have been given the assignment of writing a shell
  script in Linux.  We haven't talked about Linux, grep, or shell scrips
  in class so this is a " do some research, try it and see what you get"
  kind of thing.

  I used a text editor and saved the file as a .sh.  Now my problem
  is trying to run it so as to test it.  based on what I have found
  online, I opened Konsole and can do some commands, but still
  can't get the darn thing to run.  I have the file I want to run
  on my desktop, and put it in its own folder (has two .txt files,
  that it will use, in the folder with it).  I can type "ls" and
  see the folders desktop and workspace, but I can't seem to get
  into desktop to run the program.  I have tried different ways of
  typing the command to go into that folder (used this to help me:
  http://www.axisoftime.com/linux/docs/new2unix.html#sect2.3.1), but
  have still no luck with it yet.

  Can someone give me some assistance with this? I would really
  appreciate it. :)

This is followed by a flood of answers about chmod, pathing, and
everything else one would need to know to write and run a script.
The author continues:

  Thanks to all of you who gave me some tips on how to get to my shell
  script and make it run.  You were a big help.  :D

  The goal of this shell script it to read all the 4 character length
  palindromes from a text file, then sort them in decreasing order and
  output them into another text file.   I am also suppose to count the
  number of palindromes that are found and print that number to the
  screen.  Then wait for the user to hit the enter key and then print
  out the text with all the palindromes and end the program.

At the point I think: homework assignment!  You don't say "Oh, go out
and see what you can find about shell scripting then do ... where ...
is a pretty specific set of things.

I wrote to the author and point blank asked if it was homework:

  That sounds like the description of a problem one would get in a class.
  Are you asking us to do your homework?

Which brought the reply:

  Did you read the very first post I made on this??  If not,you can find
  it in the archives.  I am taking a class on Operating systems, we
  don't talk about Linux and how to do shell scripts in class and I have
  no books on Linux.  This email list will be part of my list of
  recourses along with the numerous web sites I have visited.

I still don't think this is the way they teach CS.  But faced with the 
straight denial replyed:

  Have you visited:
  http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=bash+shell+scripting&btnG=Google+Search

  And did anyone recommend:

    http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/  ??

	  This tutorial assumes no previous knowledge of
	  scripting or programming, but progresses rapidly toward an
	  intermediate/advanced level of instruction . . . all the while
	  sneaking in little snippets of UNIX® wisdom and lore. It
	  serves as a textbook, a manual for self-study, and a reference
	  and source of knowledge on shell scripting techniques. The
	  exercises and heavily-commented examples invite active reader
	  participation, under the premise that the only way to really
	  learn scripting is to write scripts.

  No books needed with a online resource like that.
					
I still feel like the writer is BSing everyone.  


-- 
    Michael Rasmussen, Portland Oregon  
  Be appropriate && Follow your curiosity
        http://www.patch.com/words/
  The fortune cookie says:
Stenderup's Law:
	The sooner you fall behind, the more time you will have to catch up.




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