DJ

i am going to start programming soon.

which language is the best to start out on?? i would eventually like to program in C++ and Java, but for now i just want to learn the basics, and make some general apps preferrably for Win9x.

I have heard that Python (www.python.org) is a great beginners' language, no ?

thanks in advance,

dj

MP3Car.com

 

fjmedinaa

Hmmm, if you are gonna develop C++ for Win9x and don't want to jump straight to C++, try first VisualBasic or Delphi (Pascal). But I suppose it is better to go head on to your favorite flavor (Borland or Microsoft).

I believe that the less "bad code habits" you get at start, the better.

darkwingduck

I'll second that.

However, if you wish to see results fast, to boost your confidence then i would start of with Visual Basic or Delphi. (It looks great fast and is easier to under stand, but as fjmedinaa points out it will give you bad habits in comparison to C++ and Java)

I must however admit that i have no clue to what type of language Python is ...

cenwesi

DJ: Simple, start with VB and make sure u master the API stuff. Then go to C and learn rewrite all the stuff u did in VB. After that then u are ready for the grand dady of them all C++ (ofcourse assembly is the master). With C++ you "can" become a very dangerous individual.

abcd-1

__________________
abcd-1
Author of CobraI,II,III and now CobraIV.
You can contact me on AOL instant messenger....nick is cenwesi or cenwesi3

Craig Chatterton

I would recommend Delphi over VB. Delphi(Pascal) is much closer to C than VB is. And Delphi is a more strict language, which should help teach you the proper methods of programming. VB allows too much laziness.

BTW - I'm a VB programmer.

fjmedinaa

BTW, which would be the best language to learn to think in OOP?

I've been trying to get rid of my old school train of thought (biased by my Clipper/Turbo Pascal/Cobol/RPG-II/C and Basic "experience") and really can't get too deep into OOP (I can use all those objects in VB or Delphi, but to think of building my owns to solve problems... nah., I'm begining to think that I learned how to program in "Ooops!" rather than OOP...) :P

SexyCompGeek

I started out in QBasic, haha, then Turbo Pascal. Then went to VB. As stated earlier VB is the lazy mans programming language. You don't have to declare variables (unless you use option explicit) and almost everything is done for you. Quick and Dirty.
I love C/C++ I haven't gotten down the GUI stuff yet, just good old command prompt stuff. I will rule at the end of this semester though!! I have talked to several people about this subject and most agree on this schedule
1st C
2nd Visual Basic (For interface design)
3rd C++ (Visual for me)
4th Java

Hope that helps

darkwingduck

Well i guess SexyCompGeek may have a point (like every body else in this discussion).

It might be a good thing to know C before you start playing with interface's

I wont argue wether Deplhi or VB is better, it is a question of taste.

I will however agree that vb is the lazy mans language,I use it, so therefor it must be

My experiences have been

Basic (C64 stuff)
a touch of Pascal (ouch, tried to learn it on my own ... failed miserably)
VB (School, used to teach design)
C++/C (School, used to teach the good stuff)
VB and a touch of C++ (Work)

BTW there is a new language on the way from MS, C# it is a combination of C++ and VB .. and a touch of Java(philosophy)

MP3Car.com

 

cenwesi

Craig Chatterton: I don't think delphi is that popular anymore thats why i recommended him to take vb instead. I don't think the average joe user will like delphi as compared to vb. I don't see VB dying anytime soon. Anyways now that we are all listing all programming languages we have taken/known. I will list mine.....

Basic,Qbasic,Pascal,Assembly,C,C++,VC++(NO MFC yet),Awk,Perl,Lisp,ML,Prolog,SmallTalk,PowerBuilde r (with PFC),Delphi, VB, and few others i can't remmember.

Notice i didn't mention Java. It doesn't take a genious to figure out java. (hint, it is a middle layer between c & c++)

abcd-1

__________________
abcd-1
Author of CobraI,II,III and now CobraIV.
You can contact me on AOL instant messenger....nick is cenwesi or cenwesi3

DJ

I thank you all supremely for your wonderful feedback!!! I must recap something that really stuck out in my mind - a comment made by Darkwingduck (i used to LOVE that show ) He/she said that if i want to SEE RESULTS FAST and BOOST MY CONFIDENCE..... yeeeeahhh!!!!! i love that idea. i will be honest with yu folks, i have already tried C++ (on my own) with 2 different books that i bought. i was bombarded with a plethera of information, and i just couldn't figure the freakin' language out!!! (to put it into simple termz!) So... that kind-of turned me away from programming, but now i am giving it another chance. i think that starting out on the "grand-daddy" of programming languages (as someone said ) C++ - i should start on an easier language, something to BOOST MY CONFIDENCE!! (i.e. --> Visual Basic!) Delphi seems to be dying off.

welp, there's my 2 pennies.
any other help?
ANY GOOD BOOK RECOMENDATIONS???

BTW, my school is too cheap to put any sort of computer programming into the corriculum, so i'm on my own!!! =) we have cisco though!


.thanx guyz.

dj

Gutter

Wait a minute...
I have to disagree with the comment that Delphi is dying off. In many ways, Delphi is superior to VB.
One, it creates more stable programs. With VB, you just wait for the next crash. Two, it creates smaller executables, unlike VB with 2MB of crap compiled onto crap even on the smallest of programs. And three, it is an easier transition, IMHO, to more advanced languages like C and Perl.
The only times I see VB actively used in the marketplace is when a client specifically asks for the program to be written in VB so that they can modify it themselves later. Otherwise it's written in VC++, or very occasionally, Delphi.
The only plus I can give to learning VB is that it is very easy to learn. It is the decendant of BASIC and was designed to be very simple. It will teach you the basic programming ideas that all languages use which can help a lot.
This is not an angry rant, just a statment of opinion. And now that I re-read it, I see that it is way off topic. Ooops. But to sum up, if you're stuck between the choice of VB and Delphi, choose Delphi. It will be a much better investment of time and money in the long run.

Gutter
http://impee3.hypermart.net

__________________
Don't Click

DJ

ok - - - i think i have made a decision!!!

i will go in order of difficulty. Because,, what's wrong with knowing them all ???? Instead of me deciding which is best to start out with and whatnot, i think i will just go from easiest to hardest!

I shall start off with VB. i know it may seem TOO easy to some people, but this would be a GREAT confidence-booster. then i will probably move on to delphi. from there, i see C++ in the long run (the grand-daddy, EXcluding assembly).


.word.

dj

Catlas

i really don't have much useful input on this topic but....Since everybofy else was saying there order of learning...

My current path:
Logo(ok so maybe its not really a programing language but it was fun!)
AppleBasic(on a IIe)
GWBasic
QBasic
VB(currently what im working on)

Anyways....
Catlas

mprover

st started learning C++ , Im using borland becasue MS C++ sucks *** and takes too much space on my 3gig HD

cenwesi

umm, isn't borland old school. I think u should seriously think it through. Alot of source code u will come across is writen in c/c++ not borland. There are lots of compactability issues. Also u can install just what u need. I usually install everything so this way i don't have to a)limit my self, b) listen to the compiler whine sometimes about something not installed.


abcd-1

__________________
abcd-1
Author of CobraI,II,III and now CobraIV.
You can contact me on AOL instant messenger....nick is cenwesi or cenwesi3

MP3Car.com