[Grace-core] Minutes of Teleconference 2-3.2.2015

[James Noble]

* Kim has a student - “Ryan Luo” - here from now til end of April 

* Kim’s class went better than “we had any right to expect"

Kim’s class: 10 weeks (Grace) went well; next few weeks on Java didn’t go so well.
“They stopped learning computer science [when they started learning Java]” 

They seemed less capable programmers in Java than they did in Grace.
Students seemed to get confused between classes and types
Tutors suggested static typing from the start. 
Error messages the major complaint along the way

* Strings! 
 - should we steal Swift's designs?
 - YES - Michael to suggest wording for spec
 - YES - Rationalised string escapes to only \{ \} \” \\ \n \t \s \U 
 - other stuff via interpretations / modules 

FOR NEXT WEEK:
 - can people think about inheritance! 
 - also, look at Michael’s comment email

J