[oclug] Easiest and most useful language to learn?

[Mike Kenzie]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Nolan" <chris.nolan at pointforce.com>
To: <oclug at lists.oclug.on.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 4:01 PM
Subject: RE: [oclug] Easiest and most useful language to
learn?


> I haven't looked too hard at it yet, but you might start
with
> "Mindstorms" from lego.
>
> http://www.legomindstorms.com/
>
> You can get a little R2-D2 unit (from starwars) and it
comes with a
> little standalone computer that has a simple language in
it.  You can learn
> about input, output and loops.  And probably
if-then-else's too.  And you'd
> get a cool toy out of it too.

stay away from  the droid developer kit if you want to
program the unit has 7 pre-programmed routines.  I've heard
that it can talk to set one up from it to load program 7.  I
have the RIS, droid and a spare.  LEGO's programming
environment is graphical you drag various boxes together to
make a program.  It's an interesting language but there are
others now available such as NCQ which has a linux port.

There is a course for mindstorms at Algonquin and a summer
program at Carleton for kids.