[2004] Which programming language should I learn?

Anyway.... if you really going to create some kind of desktop themes and have a possibility to work with OOP I would sudgest Java (sorry for my spelling )

 

It depends on your purpose.

If you want to look for a good job, Java is the best choice.
If you want to develop desktop software, C++ is best. (Visual C++/MFC)
If you want to program your own websites, PHP is the fastest way.

 

Hurricane,

This is the kind of answer i was looking for, this helps. I was also told if I learned C first it would be easy to transition to PHP, but is C known as C++ or is it different?

Thanks

 

As explained twice before in this thread:

C++ is similar to C, but C can't be object oriented (C++ can be)

Yes PHP after C, or the other way around is easy enough. Java is a whole different thing.

And like I asked you right away and what Hurricane told you, it really depends on what you want to do.

Do you know what you want to do with your new-to-be-found skills? Have you decided on one yet? Have you played around with one or two yet?

 

top30 - The main reason would be for our websites and incorporating a database. PHP does sound like the best option and I have been looking at it. But the one comment I keep hearing is learn C first. That is the only reason I asked again.

I haven't done much programming languages since basic and variations of basic. (with exception of some html, I can read html better than write it, but I let programs do the majority of that.)

Time is not on my side at this time, that is why I ask the questions ahead of time, so I can shorten the learning curve as much as possible.

Thank you for all your input.

 

I don't think so, it may take you more time to study C than learning PHP, not to mention the transition time. You should ignore C language completely unless you want to do some very low level coding(game, driver), it's also not helpful to build a OO programming concept.

If you want to be trained as a career, learn Java. For your own websites, PHP is definitely the best choice.

After you learn something, you will know what to learn yourself according to your interest and intention.

 

Well, Yahoo swapped to PHP because it is known to have the steepest learning curve, mainly because of its clear syntax (like C). An advanced PHP prgrammer who has never done JAVA will have a real hard time decoding JAVA or even JavaScript. PHP is a breeze.

Website + Database = Definitely PHP IM(and many many millions of other's)O

I think that the 'Learn PHP in 24Hrs' book is about the only one that can keep its word.

And: It's free, there's likely to be a script out there already for whatever you want to do, it's easy, it's fast and it's powerful. And if you get stuck; it normally doesn't last ;onger than a few hours because of the huuuuge php community out there always willing to share and help.

 

That sounds like what I want to do -- I will look for that book - thank you sincerely-thanks

 

I voted PHP simply because it is so prevalent in today's websites. Two more that are good to know are Perl and Javascript which are also very important.

 

PHP is only a scripting language - a sophisticated one though. C/C++ is a true programming language that has to be compiled and linked before being deployed.

I cannot see PHP being used to develop desktop and client/server type applications - ever! Just as you cannot use C/C++ to develop dynamic websites.

And as someone has mentioned, C/C++ takes a hell lot more time to learn than PHP - just because it's a hell lot more powerful. You build radar/air traffic control systems with C/C++ and you build forums like DP with PHP.

 

Debunked - I originally trained on Fortran IV .....yep...whats that???? but in viewing all, at the moment, I have chosen PHP to use and learn (in that order) for the reasons :

1. I can get started and hack away quickly with no language skills
2. It is widely subscribed to and is free
3. It works easily with mysql
4. It is similar to C++
5. It has a large number of developed "modules" that I can hack at
6. It uses html so I can hack around
7. It will run on my desktop....eh? Oh yes it does, and mysql and apache etc

and yes I am playing catchup but then this seems to be the quickest way and aren't we all?

 

PHP I reckon

 

If you want to be a Web Guy... PHP... if you want to learn everything about programming and do all type of jobs related to programming (includig web) my suggestion is start with C++.

 

It depends on if you want to learn how to program or if you just want to do web stuff quickly.

If you are a new to programming then I would suggest starting with Java or Lisp, sice they are both very nice beginner languages. Once you learn how to program you will be able to program in any language. I am fair Java and C programmer, so I used less then a week learning each of Perl and Python. I do not have any manuals or formal PHP training, but I have no problem writing and more importantly debugging PHP code other people have written. In the end it is all computer science. I try to pick the language best suited for the task I want to have done. It is a nice idea to spend a lot of time learning SQL, since everything is querying a database now days.

 

Well, not quite, but it is true that once you learn one programming language you will find that learning others is much easier -- the basics are pretty much the same... it's just a matter of learning the specific vocabulary and syntax for the next language.

 

This is very true, I have spent the last couple of years learning PHP and now when I look at C or pearl script I can alomst understad what it dose and how it dose it.

 

Starting from C++ when you are a beginner is quite frustrating. C++ is not hard but it is complicated especially for beginners. If you want pursue on C++ try learning C first or you can start with JAVA and forget about C++

 

After your amplification I think Shawn is correct - PHP. However if you were learning a programming language with a view to becoming a contract programmer I would suggest ASP.NET These programmers are already getting superior rates in my company and the gap looks to be widening almost daily.

- Michael

 

The first language I learnt was Fortran, after that I moved up to Fortran II. I probably have learnt and forgotten more programming languages than anybody ever heard of.

The main problem is that I switch back and forth between multiple languages, and end up typing in the syntax for the wrong language. One day last week, I was programming in FoxPro, C++, Visual Basic, PHP and Perl.

I started learning PHP a couple of weeks ago, then converted a FoxPro program to PHP, and was able to build on my Perl knowledge to learnt it pretty fast. I was really impressed with myself learning some up to date technology, till someone told me that PHP and SQL is obsolete, and Java based websites are the way to go - since you can build sites that don't have to depend on cookies to maitian the state of the user action. I don't even know what he's talking about.

 

Same here... using a card punch / card reader and a Burroughs main frame to compile and debug the damn thing...