What Have We Learned?: Foundations of Computing, Fall 2000

December 5, 2000


Foundations of Computing has a scientific emphasis. It is intended to teach concepts, methods, ways of thinking and working that apply to computing generally. It deliberately does not have a vocational emphasis. It does not concentrate on developing skills using particular products.

We have written and studied some small programs in the Scheme language. (Small does not mean easy or insignificant.) In addition to learning Scheme, we have also learned about issues that occur in all programs in all languages.

Some of these lessons are pertintent to learning any technical subject.

Other lessons concern programming languages in particular.

Some lessons concern programming methodology and software engineering.

Some lessons apply to life in general.


Jon Jacky, jackyj@evergreen.edu