While bash has a "better" language than CMD.EXE, just about any shell language can be used as a first stab at sequencing, looping, and branching.
Even a few lessons on the shell can give students something they can begin using right away, since it is built into the system. Since the shell is installed by default, you can get to work right away, without a download and install -- often illegal on lab machines anyway.
I can recommend A+ texts (even out-of-date ones) since the focus on the right set of topics, albeit in more detail than you probably want.
Get your lab to install Cold Storage so you can have students change settings, find and install software packages, whether admin tools, languages, or something like installing Ubuntu within a file on a FAT partition.
Back when that system was written, it was generally worth keeping knowledge about subprograms to yourself, unless you wanted to be thought of as a weirdo.
COBOL's FUNCTION keyword is pretty tangential to the normal meaning, and the last time I checked, a "function" had to be invoked in a separate statement.
Actually, PERFORM was about the only thing most programmers knew about back then.
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While bash has a "better" language than CMD.EXE, just about any shell language can be used as a first stab at sequencing, looping, and branching. Even a few lessons on the shell can give students something they can begin using right away, since it is built into the system. Since the shell is installed by default, you can get to work right away, without a download and install -- often illegal on lab machines anyway. I can recommend A+ texts (even out-of-date ones) since the focus on the right set of topics, albeit in more detail than you probably want. Get your lab to install Cold Storage so you can have students change settings, find and install software packages, whether admin tools, languages, or something like installing Ubuntu within a file on a FAT partition.
The mouse cursor should resemble a magnifying glass -- that's just what I use to look for something on my cluttered desk.
Back when that system was written, it was generally worth keeping knowledge about subprograms to yourself, unless you wanted to be thought of as a weirdo. COBOL's FUNCTION keyword is pretty tangential to the normal meaning, and the last time I checked, a "function" had to be invoked in a separate statement. Actually, PERFORM was about the only thing most programmers knew about back then.
Everyone who has seen Malcolm McDowell in "O Lucky man!" wants to know: does this involve the Millar Clinic?