Yeah that's slightly disconcerting. I'm not a compsci expert, I know enough scripting to get by as a full-time web developer, but javascript seems like it has

Yeah that's slightly disconcerting. I'm not a compsci expert, I know enough scripting to get by as a full-time web developer, but javascript seems like it has a lot of hard-to-grasp idioms that would be hell for a beginner. I've read The Good Parts and I still don't totally understand the intricacies of prototypal inheritance. :p I'd say stick with something a bit simpler, especially given that it's Khan Academy, not Stanford, so it's likely to attract far more casual lay-users who just want to know "a little bit about programming." The casual nature of the engagement means there is probably a very low threshold for quitting if the program is resulting in more confusion/frustration than "aha moments." I think it's great they're doing it, tho! More people should learn "a little bit about programming."