[PLUG] Need LiveCD for Students to learn C

[Roshan]

On Friday 07 March 2008 00:50, Pranav Peshwe wrote:

> Also, using IDEs right from the
> beginning will keep the student in dark about what goes into
> compiling and debugging a program. And even more important - the
> student might develop a feeling that, compiling/debugging without the
> IDE is something very difficult and involved (which is not at all the
> case). 

Not really, if one is /taught/ as to how the IDE is working in 
background to complete the tasks of compiling / debugging etc. Note, 
I'm not supporting the notion of *using* an IDE, just that, it must not 
be ruled out. I support the view, of *not starting* with an IDE, 
though.

>I realized this after talking to some engg. students who had 
> never used the command line to compile their programs. The downside
> of not using an IDE will be - the instructor/supervisor might have to
> answer more queries about the development process rather than the
> code written :-s

Well, there is some lack of /transfer/ of knowledge, I guess. Theory 
classes / session must point out the tools and explain as to what they 
do actually. Later, this must be extended to sessions in the lab, where 
the "reality" is seen!

Hmm, may be we have digressed too much. Could the OP get a copy of 
Knoppix to try out simple C programs?