[omnicognate]

What an absurd reason to fail someone in a basic programming course.

[drran]

It makes obvious that someone doesn't understand difference between code and documentation.

[omaranto]

Or it makes it obvious the person is just learning the syntax and wrote themselves a reminder of what that weird ++ symbol means?

[drran]

Why I need to guess? `i++ // ++ adds 1 to i` makes it obvious, instead of throwing your brain out of code parsing loop to decrypt the message.

The primary goal of documentation is to make code easier to understand, not to copy code or to puzzle the reader. If the documentation doesn't help, then it's useless, so it must be deleted, or it makes readability worse, so it must be deleted.

[bravetraveler]

... and the response is to weed them out instead of educate?

Seems less pragmatic and more of a random death hill choice

[drran]

Yes. The goal of grading is to grade students. If you need more education than other students, then look for a different profession or get a private tutor. Education system should not push squares into round holes with force. If a square doesn't fit a round hole, then let it go.

[bravetraveler]

I'll admit that I immediately mistook 'fail' as - basically ensure they have no future in the program.

I'd be fine with points being removed or even perhaps a failed assignment - not being essentially outed from the program by failing the course. The student needs a chance to improve - otherwise the only thing they'll learn is resentment