Link Details

I agree with the professor when it comes to the TIOBE list

i dont

I should probably clarify that point.

I feel that the TIOBE list is an arbitrary scoring mechanism that doesn't necessarily reflect anything

So, you have more reliable data at hand?

No, there isn't any...

But a absence of real data does not mean fabricated data is better than admitting you don't know...

Always take these things with a grain of salt. It has been observed before that the TIOBE is no different than other claimed "scientific studies" which requires context and does not factor in everything: http://cdsmith.wordpress.com/2007/06/18/is-tiobe-fatally-flawed/

"If all we do is train students to be able to do simple Web programming in Java"

Web Programming never ever has been simple in Java, esp. not in Java. Clueless drivel.

Jansen's rebuttal is weak. Dewar is speaking as a university professor who has the educational priorities of a university in mind. Traditional university educational goals are structured to produce all-around expertise and knowledge (including, importantly, a significant humanities component even for the sciences). In that context, a computer science grad is supposed to have, at graduation, a tested and verified expertise in - wonder of wonders - not Java programming, but computer science. Jansen's point about component-based application development requiring a high degree of skill is, of course, quite true, and I'd agree with him completely if the degrees being sought by many were "B.A. Java Programming", or "B.A. Application Development". In fact, some universities do offer analogous degrees, and for them, good job. But for those seeking a computer science degree, I agree with Dewar that a Java emphasis, when pressed to the exclusion of other important CS topics, is harmful.

I'm not sure what the controversy is, though. What is the big frakkin' deal about Dewar's statements? I really feel like people are hopping over a fire that really isn't burning. Some of the fire fanners pretty clearly have bugs up their asses about higher education, but aside from that, this really seems like a conversation on a road to nowhere. What conclusion is everyone trying to reach?