An Inherent Conflict in Using IDEs in Computer Language Courses Dr. Ronald I. Frank Pace University

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An Inherent Conflictin Using IDEs in Computer
Language CoursesDr. Ronald I. FrankPace
University
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The Conflict

• IDEs Auto Generate Code
• Beginning Courses Want The Student To Generate
  The Code

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IDEs

• Designed To Auto Assist
• Assume Knowledgeable User
• Learning IDE Is Tougher Than The Beginning
  Language Courses

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Borland Enterprise 6
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Beginning Courses

• Want NO Auto Assist
• Cant Teach IDE
• IDE Auto Code Uses Advanced Topics

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The Solution

• Disable The IDE
• Auto Code Generation
• OR
• Dont Use Projects
• (Use only blank files to start)

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JCreator Start Screen(Project)
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Template GeneratedProject Code
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Complex Directory Structure
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JCreator Start Screen (File)
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File New
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Student Must Input Code
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Conservation Of Difficulty
Encapsulate The Difficulty In A Short One-Time
8 Step Setup Process
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One-Time Setup 1(Directories)
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One-Time Setup 2 (Compiler)
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One-Time Setup 3
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One-Time Setup 4
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One-Time Setup 5
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One-Time Setup 6 (Run Time)
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One-Time Setup 7
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One-Time Setup 8
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Benefit Simplified FileStructure
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Benefit Simplified Grading Structure

• A/ For Hand Ins
• OR
• Stand Alone Web Files

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Output(Console Window)
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References 1 of 2(Java IDEs)
1 Forte Sun Co. Forte Environment.
http//forte.sun.com/ffj/documentation/relnote40.h
tml
2 JBuilder Borland Enterprise Studio
http//www.borland.com/estudiojava/pdf/estj4_dat
asheet.pdf
3 JCreator IDE http//www.JCreator.com/
Click Features. 
4 Kawa (discontinued 10/31/2001)
http//search.atomz.com/search/
?sp-asp1001395bsp-panysp-qkawa
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References 2 of 2 (Java IDEs)
5 Visual Café (discontinued 2/2003) New
product http//www.webgain.com/products/webgain
_studio/ feature_matrix.html

6 Visual J.Net Microsoft Visual Studio.Net.
http//msdn.microsoft.com/vjsharp/
7 Frank, R. I., JCreator Just-In-Time
Tips. Pace Technical Report 181 Sept.
2002. This is an 83 page screen-shot-based set
of tips for V2.5 for projects, applets,
applications, etc. Also available from the
author at rfrank_at_pace.edu as a PDF file 2.8M.