Is there any book that teaches C# & Java simultaneously?

Question

Hello,

I know little bit of both. Both these languages beautiful and are similar in many things. I'm going to teach OOP. I thought of C# as language but then I felt why not teach both C# & Java simultaneously? Explain the concept then explain how its done in both these languages and then explain and glitches they need to know. I would like to know your opinions on this approach. If you feel this is good, can any one suggest some good book that takes this approach?

EDIT:

Students are not beginner programmers. Every one of them have C programming experience and some of them are familiar with either C++ or Java. So, I guess I can treat them as intermediate level programmers.

Answer 1

I wouldn't do that, especially if we are talking about beginners. If you are teaching concepts like OOP, stick with one language and explain it solely in that language. When you are confident your students are able to grasp the syntax and concepts, you can do an overview of another language. If you have basic concepts and so on done, it is easy to learn a new language, as you only have to learn the syntax and some bits and pieces concerning the framework.

Answer 2

In my opinion there's no need to teach both languages because your teaching OOP and that's a technique independent from the language. You should really use your time to teach the concepts.

If, in the end, you'll decide to teach both, you can use this link to help you with that: http://www.25hoursaday.com/CsharpVsJava.html

Answer 3

I don't know about a book that 'teaches' both C# and Java simultaneously, I know that both are reasonably similar in syntax the underlying frameworks differ.

I can recommend 'Code Complete' by Steve McConnell as a book that any programmer will get a lot out of no matter what language they program in. This book includes examples in C#, Java and many other languages.

Answer 4

If you want to want to teach both, then you may want to look for a book that is geared toward teaching on language toward someone that knows the other.

So, for example, C# for Java Developers (http://www.amazon.com/Java-Developers-Pro-Developer-Allen-Jones/dp/0735617791), as it can help you introduce the ideas of OOP based on C#, and in the process you can discuss Java.

Then, once they learn a bit about both languages, then you can go deeper, later, on both languages, as you start to introduce them to lambda expressions and LINQ for example, or Groovy when teaching Java.

You may want to look at the GoF book on Design Patterns, so you can discuss what is in common to most object oriented languages, in terms of concepts.

UPDATE: A link for the Gang of Four book, Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software, http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?DesignPatternsBook

Answer 5

I'm going to teach OOP. I thought of C# as language but then I felt why not teach both C# & Java simultaneously?

I think you needs to think very carefully before you do this. Particularly, about what exactly it is you are aiming to teach the class.

• If your goal is to teach the principals of OO programming languages from a theoretical point of view, then covering Java and C# together is sensible. But for completeness you should be covering other OO programming languages as well ... especially those that take a different approach in their support for OO.

• If your goal is to teach practical OO programming, then teaching Java and C# in parallel is likely to run counter to your aim. The average student will have enough difficulty getting their heads around the basics of OO thinking and implementing in one language. Throwing in a second language will only distract them from this, and the result is likely to be that many of the less diligent / able students don't properly assimilate working knowledge of either languages.

Remember that the real aim here is to educate the students, not to create a course that is interesting from your perspective. For a typical undergraduate course, the students mostly want a piece of paper that will get them their first IT job, and what they need is practical knowledge. (Save the interesting stuff for your honors / masters level courses, where the bulk of the class has the mindset of wanting to learn interesting things ...)