which programming language is the best to start with?

[andy]

I vote Java.

 

My reasoning:

 

C - too hard to learn with all the pointer complexities.

 

C++, like C only bigger.

 

Python - the interpritter is really unhelpful! It won't detect errors that GCC or javac would pick up no problem. Mis spelling a variable will either be ignored if assigning to it or will raise an error only when the code is executed.

 

ruby - never used, can't comment

 

LI - never heard of, can't comment

 

basic - never used, but Dijkstra said: "It is practically impossible to teach good programming to students that have had a prior exposure to BASIC: as potential programmers they are mentally mutilated beyond hope of regeneration."

 

Delphi - I actually learnt to program in Delphi, had to unlearn some of the misconceptions I managed to pick up though. Pushed me into GUI before I even new the basics of programming.

 

Java - My current langauge of choice (except when I need the performance of C, or the low level access, or if the system lacks the JVM). Javac will pick up as many problem as it can, including typos. Coupled with Eclipse IDE this is amaingly powerful. Sybntax is similar to C and other languages. Has a nice library which means you don't need o worry about things like creating arrays that grow (you can use an array list).

 

[Van]

I have to say that my first language, quickbasic, was really easy to learn and gives you the basic knowlege for other languages.

I agree, I first started with VisualBasic, and it's really easy to get into...

 

So my vote goes for the basic languages

 

- Van

 

[joemama718]

Is Java hard to learn?

[Van]

I would start with Java, as that is what I started with and it was pretty easy, not too hard. But it depends on the way you learn things.

Well, according to Kyle, it is easy to learn Java

 

- Van

[andy]

There are quite a few books on programming over on wikibooks.org. Take a look at: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Pro...uages_bookshelf

 

Incase anyone is thinking of learning C I would recommend "The C Programming Language" by Kernighan and Ritchie

One of the books I bought years ago and still find useful for reference. IFound it helpful for refreshing my memory when I had been away from C programming for a while.

 

For Java I would recommend "Java Concepts" by Cay Horstmann

Another book I still use regularly, I have the 4th Edition which covers up to Java 1.5/5.0

There is a 5th Edition comming soon which covers Java 6.

 

 

I found Java pretty easy to learn, but by then I had a grasp on programming.

I know people who first learn't to program in C.

It is a very compact language, but for me that's it's downfall. Memory management is a tricky concept and it's all to easy to put memory leaks in your program, or to access memory incorrectly. Luckily there is Valgrind for catching the more obvious flaws. The thing that has always annoyed me about memory issues are the error may occur no where near the error.

 

Oh and a quick way to find the cause of a "segmentation fault" (not sure what the windows message for accessing memory incorrectly is) which I wish someone had told me:

1. Compile with the -g flag to gcc
2. invoke program with GDB ( gdb ./myprog )
3. Run your program ( run [arguments] )
4. Do whatever causes the seg fault
5. It should tell you where the error occured, including line number
6. If it says it occured in the libraries you probably called a function incorrectly

   View a backtrace to find the calling function ( backtrace )

7. Then quit ( quit )

You wouldn't believe the amount of time this has saved me. You can also use gdb to do a lot more complex stuff.

[Geou]

I think QBasic is an easy and effective language to start with, although it isn't Object-Oriented.

[Nitros]

Other, PHP

I also know actionscript.

[ShannenName]

If you know the basics of php and MySQL check out how this game code is structured (www.mccodes.com and download the free version) and try making mods that do different things for it. It really helped me when I started php..

[Dennis]

As many of you said, I would definatly start with basic (as in Visual Basic). It's very similar to the English language; you just add symbols!

[AJKING]

i think the java one is better to start with

[ocustruct]

Well I've asked many people this question too, and I'd say C would be a good basis to start with. It is a base language for many programs and if you start with learning C then learning other languages seem kind of easier.

[rod91]

I'd start with Basic... the thing you need to keep in mind is what's important in programming is being able to create algorithms... If you can create a proper algorithm, you can code it in whatever you want, just need to learn the syntax and all. To get "coding" into your mind... as in syntaxes, functions, loops, conditionals, operations and whatever else, Basic is a good place to start.

 

It's just to get the idea of algorithms into your head. Then, you can move on to whatever language you see fit. Just make sure to get a proper book with excersices and stuff, else, you'll just type random stuff into your code and never get anywhere. Get a book, it's definitely worth it

[shakil]

In my opinion, C language is the best to start with because it is the basis of many other languages like C++, C#, Java, PHP etc. C language is a little hard to learn though but once you get a grasp on the language, it is rather easy to learn other language as well.

 

If you are into web programming, then I think PHP is the way to go.

[AverageJoe]

Python is, in my opinion, the best to start with. You can use it on the web, or on your desktop, and it's very powerful and flexible in both. It comes pre-installed with linux. It helps to teach OOP methods, as well as force good habits.

 

I learned python before I learned c++, and I must say it made it a lot easier.

 

Joe

[infinity]

Java, or C++. Java to being with, I think.