That is the assumption that lean to divert the focus to something else, like for example, math (A lot of "intros" to programing are really math with computer).

That is the assumption that lean to divert the focus to something else, like for example, math (A lot of "intros" to programing are really math with computer). I have a FAR different education. I start with Fox 2.6 (DOS) and Acces. At the end of the semester, We have a FULL done application with: Menus, Forms, Small procedures, database, Reports, with colors and very crude idea of custom controls. From the side of Acces, we get the idea of how a Windows application was done. This was NOT the university. The university teaching was so useless in comparasion (I was the one to teach the OO classes, because the teacher don't have a clue about it. And that was the 2d semester). Then the instrucction of algos was terrible. And so on. ---- Rant objective? Good, focused, NOT DIVERTED, teaching is far better than the core language. I have done some teach, and know dozen languages.. I believe python/pascal are far better to start - and probably pascal, if we want a C-like understanding without the badage of slow tools, weird syntax and crazines of the C family, but well, that my thing- and don't see why it could be problematic to teach any of the fundamental concepts of programing. The key thing, apart of the quality of the teaching, is the focus. I think if the goal is teach "programming" in the general sense, python/pascal are the better. C, C++, Haskell, Java requiere a lot of divertion of the attention (setup and take care of a project, do make files, wait... wait...wait, "monads"?, etc). In contrast, if the teach is learn how "a computer works" so C/C++/Pascal/ADA could be great. Again, is the focus.