Hello Mr. Tanner!
Imagine, I taught yesterday my girlfriend (22 yo), how to use EP to make a program. We used an old hungarian book from 1988 called "Hetedhét Enterpise" (free translation: Enterprise behind the beyond), this book was made like a fairy-tail, it teaches with sweet baby dragons playfully how to use the Enterprise, how to execute commands and make programs.
So, after starting the machine we were learned how to tempt the EP to repeat some statement
print "Ismeteld meg amit irok" (Repeat what I write)
Ismeteld meg amit irok
OK
Then, we were started to write the first serious program:
5 CLEAR SCREEN
10 print "mi mar" (we already)
20 print "tudunk" (can)
30 print "programozni" (programming)
She learned to use F5 to clear the screen, F1 to start the program, and F2 to list it.
Then we learned, what difference does it make when the end of the command print "abc" a semicolon is used.
At the end, there was a program with syntax errors:
10 print ez egy hibas sor (this is a not correct line)
20 prnt ez se jobb (neither this)
30 print "ez meg rosszabb (this is the worst)
She noticed the first error message: "*** Variable is not initialised." She could fix the incorrect lines, and I applaud her.
Remarks: I have noticed, that she has had problem with the overwrite mode of the IS-editor. She is got used to use a PC, and nowdays the default edit mode is insert, not overwrite. I think it is very important to teach the children,that there is different kind of systems and you have to be flexible, and understand the other approach to be effective in the future life.
