China Makes A Java Version Of Core LLVM

[droidhacker]

I can see the exercise in rewriting the code in another language to be an acceptable very beginner-ish exercise. The end product will be of absolutely no value though.

The way I read this, is that, at least when I went through it, comp sci degrees tend to start off with Java. Hence java becomes the "most familiar" language for a lot of students. That doesn't make it actually a good language, or even remotely suitable for high performance computing needs.

What this really is, is a BEGINNERS C++ course with a major project being to *read and understand* the C++ code through translating it into Java.

Might be a fun learning exercise.
This is not news.

[Stephen_A]

Oh. Why don't they just use Scala?

Yeah, Scala is ok enough

[CARMEN]

It's not about not understanding LLVM in C++, it's about using it in Java projects, which is more difficult if it's C++ code.

Yes, I agree

[aironeous]

They actually made something? Oh it's younglings - ahhhh . Soon they will grow up and be stealing our technology, counterfeiting our goods, pirating or music, movies and software and stealing our trade.

[gamerk2]

I can see the exercise in rewriting the code in another language to be an acceptable very beginner-ish exercise. The end product will be of absolutely no value though.

The way I read this, is that, at least when I went through it, comp sci degrees tend to start off with Java. Hence java becomes the "most familiar" language for a lot of students. That doesn't make it actually a good language, or even remotely suitable for high performance computing needs.

What this really is, is a BEGINNERS C++ course with a major project being to *read and understand* the C++ code through translating it into Java.

Might be a fun learning exercise.
This is not news.

Yeah, thats what I'm seeing.

Really, the main reason why C/C++ isn't being taught anymore is because is HARD. Its not a fun language to teach the basics in. [I actually recommend people learn an easier syntax, like Pascal or even Algol 68 first].

[allison]

Never tell a developer that their pet project is a waste of talent. If it wasn't valuable to them, they wouldn't be doing it. Many useful things have come from pet projects.

Yes, I agree with you

[JanC]

Really, the main reason why C/C++ isn't being taught anymore is because is HARD. Its not a fun language to teach the basics in. [I actually recommend people learn an easier syntax, like Pascal or even Algol 68 first].

C isn't too difficult to learn because, despite some inconsistencies in its syntax that make working with pointers more complicated than necessary, it is a fairly simple and small language. C++ on the other hand has so many inconsistencies and is so big and complicated that there are maybe one or two people in the world who really know it (and C++'s inventor has professed he is not one of them).

So I agree that teaching students how to work with pointers can better be done with a modern (Object) Pascal implementation (I don't know Algol 68, so difficult to say anything about it). For teaching basic programming, Python or another language with a simple syntax and no boilerplate overhead (so no Java or C#) would be good too.

[tammy]

Never tell a developer that their pet project is a waste of talent. If it wasn't valuable to them, they wouldn't be doing it. Many useful things have come from pet projects.

Said well!