The very first text editor 3677

Fair enough. Want to weigh in on the original question, which is what to do when the student turns in source code that doesn't compile? The options I can think of are

(1) Give no credit until-unless the student turns in something that at least compiles. During the semester, this might mean you reject non-compiling code but allow the student to try again. Under the rules for giving incompletes at some universities, this won't be an option at the end of the semester, so non-compiling code gets zero credit.

(2) Give partial credit for code that doesn't compile, with the amount of credit based on how close an approximation the code appears to be to a correct solution of the stated problem.

I don't think of either of these as telling students they've done well when they haven't, but maybe if (2) results in a pbutting grade, there are students who will regard that as doing well. Grade inflation is a problem in academia, and I don't do as much to fight that, or to hold the students to high standards, as maybe I could, but I'm not convinced yet that giving zero credit for something that shows evidence of some progress to a solution is the right way to do that. YMMV, maybe, and BMMV (B=Barb's) as well.

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-- B. L. Mbuttingill ObDisclaimer: I don't speak for my employers; they return the favor.