Trying out programming.

Souleh said:
a lot of hate for the simpler language of VB.

Granted.. its not the chosen language of the real world in most applications but it IS a good learning language. Its clear of massive syntax and is pretty simple to understand.. You could learn it very quickly

C/C++/C#/Java/Python/Ruby/etc are certainly fantastic languages and each has its own merits (except java :D) but just remember that confusing someone isnt going to make them want to continue..

Take a slice of the cake, try something simple and see if its for you
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Agreed.

Now all he might need advice on now would be his college course or maybe a few (other) pointers on getting started.
 
Start with a nice managed language like java, grab eclipse (its free), get thinking in java by bruce eckel (the first edition is a free ebook and you can probably get newer revisions in ebook form if you search hard enough). Once you're completely comfortable with everything he covers, get thinking in c++ by the same guy (you'll go through this book faster because the fundamentals will already be ingrained and they're syntactically very similar) and go to town. After that you should be able to pick your own path down that road!
 
Hairybudda said:
Start with a nice managed language like java, grab eclipse (its free), get thinking in java by bruce eckel (the first edition is a free ebook and you can probably get newer revisions in ebook form if you search hard enough). Once you're completely comfortable with everything he covers, get thinking in c++ by the same guy (you'll go through this book faster because the fundamentals will already be ingrained and they're syntactically very similar) and go to town. After that you should be able to pick your own path down that road!
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One step forward and two steps back. :rolleyes:
 
Ah why does Java always get abused? I mean, it's not my favourite either but I'd never tell anyone to avoid it because the fact is that's it's powerful, flexible, one of/possibly the most widely used language, and people are never able to explain why they pick on it!
 
I'm a software developer with well over 10 years commercial experience, I program c# / .net these days. I've done btec and computer science degree. I started coding with BASIC on 8bit Atari's when I was 7, I moved onto 6502 assembler when I was 12.

Don't touch C++ it's far two complicated for a beginner. It's also not managed and gets complicated with memory pointers, plus MS C++ has something called the MFC (Microsoft Foundation Class) and ATL (Active Template Library), even if you get into C++ language syntax you need years of experience leaning MFC and ATL. On top of this MS C++ is being used less due to .Net.

If MS go with either C# or VB.NET, there identical in what they do just syntax is different. There is a Visual Studio Express you can download for free.

If non MS go Sun Java as this is used on many platforms including mobile devices, plus the syntax is very similar to c#.

Hope that helps
 
I'd go with C#, mostly because it's simple and does its own memory allocation, but also because if you want to expand on it later on, there's XNA. I did C# with XNA in college, was great fun. One can quite rapidly get up and running with basic console programs as well.

Did some Ruby as part of my time with RPG Maker XP, but that's a different (and much older) story. :D

EDIT: Also, I can't see why any course would teach VB in 2011. Fair enough to get the planning and pre-coding structuring that programming entails, but even then one'd be better off with something one can expand upon later on.
 
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