[Sugar-devel] Idea for a New Activity in Sugar: To code and run C, C++ programs

[Kartik Kumar]

Thanks Daniel for your valuable feedback!

I agree with you that C will be bit complex in the begining and it is
difficult to write Gcc in python.

I appreciate the idea of activity for web development. I am very much
exicted and inspired to explore on how we can go about it and develop it.
To add to what you mentioned, we can provide an IDE as an activity where
children can develop HTML pages and develop even entire web application in
python. We can also explore if DJango(web application framework in python)
can be used in this context.

We can probably provide features like:
1. Create html pages using rich html component library which can be
presented to user in widget so user can just drag html components from
widget bar to create html pages on the fly.

2. Link html pages with suitable server side scripts to take actions.
similar to what is done in Asp.net,jsf,etc.

3. Develop entire web app by presenting simple MVC architecture (using
DJango internally).

4. Test the created webpage by showing web browser within same
activity(maybe within a tab). Similarly, test entire web app flow within
browser.

5. Debugging feature will be good for children as they would get the idea
how web server is actually serving them with resources. also help that
understand how server is executing their statements.

These are basic features/requirements we can focus on. Please add to it or
modify it.

I will explore more on this and we can discuss on what exactly we can and
want to include in that activity.

Please provide your valuable feedback :-)

Cheers!
Kartik Perisetla
On Aug 5, 2012 9:14 PM, "S. Daniel Francis" <francis at sugarlabs.org> wrote:

> Hi Kartik,
> 2012/8/5 Kartik Kumar <kartik.peri at gmail.com>:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I was thinking of an Activity for Sugar using which children can write
> > programs in C and C++ and execute them.
>
> I think C/C++ aren't so easy for children, Python is better to
> introduce programming on children. But I really appreciate you are
> interested in it, I started learning Python about 2 years ago when I
> was 11-12 years old and I know it isn't impossible, last year I
> learned a few of C but I can do the same things with Python more
> easily, and my C programs often finished in Segmentation Fault, that's
> not very "motivating".
>
> >This is similar to Pippy activity
> > but this activity will use GCC for compilation and execution of these
> > programs created by children.
>
> Maybe you already know C components aren't recommended at the Sugar
> activities, when there's C code for speed, I always suggest to compile
> for i386 (architecture of XO-1.0 and XO-1.5) and use a conditional for
> load an alternative module written in Python on other architectures.
> But there isn't so easy re-write Gcc in Python...
>
> >
> > We can present them with such features:
> > 1. Use pre-existing code snippets( from Journal)
> > 2. Write custom code
> > 3. Compilation and Execution
> >
> > Please provide your inputs whether this seems useful with classroom
> > perspective and is worth taking it further?
>
> There are too few Teachers-Programmers for teach it, and there are few
> students with the necessary will, intelligence and interest for learn
> C.
> You generated in me an idea: would be good an activity for write/test
> web developments, that could be more easy and motivating than C, and
> there are more people qualified for teach it. Many people say the Web
> development has got a big future.
>
> Cheers.
>
> ~danielf
>
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