help motivate undergrads to learn about computation. Once you learn Scheme, well now you've learned Scheme. But at the time if you had learned Python you could then use something like Python's system and socket APIs to play around with the lab or personal Linux systems
that's a good point actually. i had scheme, modula and others i don't remember in my undergrad classes. i remember almost nothing from that time. but at the same time i met some students running an LPmud, where i learned LPC, and then i discovered roxen and pike (which is based on LPC) which i used in all my volunteer and fun programming work. in other words all my motivation for learning stuff came from the outside.
that's a good point actually. i had scheme, modula and others i don't remember in my undergrad classes. i remember almost nothing from that time. but at the same time i met some students running an LPmud, where i learned LPC, and then i discovered roxen and pike (which is based on LPC) which i used in all my volunteer and fun programming work. in other words all my motivation for learning stuff came from the outside.