[fpc-pascal] Need Advice: Teaching a Child Programming

[Michael Van Canneyt]

On Wed, 6 Mar 2019, Anthony Walter wrote:

> I need some advice from you guys.
>
> I might soon be teaching a child about computer programming and am
> considering using Free Pascal as the first language. The problem is the
> child is a distance away from me and I want a way to see his code as he
> types and help him along by moving his cursor and sending him snippets or
> correcting his code while he watches, all done remotely along with two way
> voice chat.
>
> I need some sort of tool to help with this. I could simply use Skype and
> set him up to allow me to occasionally take control remotely, but I am
> wondering if there might be a better way?
>
> What do you people think?
>
> I was considering writing a small cross platform desktop text editor type
> application that would forward to me the text and cursor location as he
> types, and allow me to change his text and highlight text and move the
> cursor. That wouldn't be very difficult, but I would need a separate
> program for VOIP, and I also might want syntax highlighting, code
> completion drop downs, compile functions.
>
> Again, do you people have any suggestions?

No suggestion, but there is an actual feature request to build this in in
the IDE as a plugin, exactly for teaching purposes. James Ralston suggested it.

According to Martin Friebe it should be doable, although not easy.

Michael.