[CodingNewb]

Alright, So after carefully reviewing my project and the requirements, I've decided I need to learn these languages before I start on ANYTHING:

• Java
  
• Python
  
• PHP
  
• HTML
  
• Javascript
  
• .......and possibly .NET

Which order should I learn these in? Please state the order most beneficial to a newb.

[SixOfEleven]

You are in the wrong forum if you are looking for advice on programming languages. This forum is for general chit-chat. All you are going to get here is heckled. Moving this to the Corner Cubicle. You will more than likely get better advice there.

[mostyfriedman]

my advice would be to start with Java, its an easy widely used programming language that will help you learning other programming languages later on. as for HTML, you can learn that in parallel with Java, HTML is an easy markup language that will get you started with creating simple web pages, then you can learn javascript to add some flavor to your webpages.. after that you can learn php or python, doesnt matter

[nathanpc]

I suggest you start with Java, with it you can go to C# or C/C++.

[CodingNewb]

I have actually decided to start with C++, as I hear it is the base of all languages. Also, for those on here that know of my 'Project' thread, that will be delayed, until I have mastered C++

[Raynes]

CodingNewb, on 5 Dec, 2009 - 07:17 AM, said:

I have actually decided to start with C++, as I hear it is the base of all languages. Also, for those on here that know of my 'Project' thread, that will be delayed, until I have mastered C++

No, that's C you're thinking off.

[sam.adams61]

nathanpc, on 5 Dec, 2009 - 09:57 AM, said:

I suggest you start with Java, with it you can go to C# or C/C++.

Wholly agree here. I'm learning Java myself at the minute & because of some knowledge of C# I'm finding it none too difficult to pick up the syntax. So if learning Java eases the move to C#, it follows that learning C# will ease the move to Java. HTML as a markup language is pretty easy to learn so I wouldn't worry too much about that one.

[V.C. Sniper]

C++

[SixOfEleven]

Question:
What is it that you want to learn to program and for what platform?

Seriously, that is the first question you should always ask before deciding what language to learn. The different languages have there strengths and weaknesses.

Answer:
I want to create GUI applications for Windows.

In that case you would be best learning a .NET language. The .NET languages have excellent support for creating GUI applications. They all have drag and drop features for dragging controls onto a form and coding the events that go with them. You could go with VB.NET, C# or C++.NET would work for this category of program. C++.NET is a good alternative and it would help you if you ever wanted to create native C++ applications, applications that do not require the .NET framework.

Answer:
I want to write programs for Linux

In this case you would be best to forget about using a .NET language. There is the Mono port for developing C# programs but if you are serious about developing programs for Linux forget .NET languages because they require the .NET framework and it is basically a Microsoft proprietary thing not supported outside of Windows. For Linux you would look at C, C++ or Java. C or C++ because they have standards applied to them. Knowing how to write a C/C++ program on Linux is much the same as knowing how to write a program in Windows. Linux and Windows do have different libraries for many things but the core of the languages is the same. Java because it can be run on any platform that has the JVM. A Java program in Linux is the exact same as a Java program in Windows.

Answer:
I want to write cross platform programs.

In that case definitely Java. Like I mentioned in the previous answer Java can be run on any platform that supports the JVM. The code is the exact same on any platform.

Answer:
I want to write games.

In this case you would be best learning just regular C first and then moving up to C++ if you would like. Reason: C is probably the fastest compiled language and is closest to the operating system. If you were ever to get a job as a game programmer you would more than likely to use C or C++. If you just want to develop Windows game it wouldn't hurt to learn C# after C/C+++. It is not the perfect solution for developing games but it is a good and will more than likely continue to develop in the future. It is still a baby compared to C/C++.

Answer:
I want to create web applications.

Well, then you would probably want to start with simple HTML and CSS to learn how to create web pages. You could move on to things like Javascript and jQuery to add cool effects to your pages. Then you would want to go server side to develop persistent applications. For server side there are a few options. PHP, Perl, Python and ASP.NET would all be good for this.

[GenHornet18]

Answer to over 50 threads here all asking the same thing ^----^

Amazing Post

[ccubed]

Raynes, on 5 Dec, 2009 - 01:38 PM, said:

CodingNewb, on 5 Dec, 2009 - 07:17 AM, said:

I have actually decided to start with C++, as I hear it is the base of all languages. Also, for those on here that know of my 'Project' thread, that will be delayed, until I have mastered C++

No, that's C you're thinking off.

No, that's assembly you're thinking of.

This post has been edited by ccubed: 05 December 2009 - 11:49 PM

[CodingNewb]

Lol, I know that Assembler>C>C++

But Assembler seems way too difficult, and C++ has advanced features that C doesn't have.

Quote

I want to write games.

In this case you would be best learning just regular C first and then moving up to C++ if you would like. Reason: C is probably the fastest compiled language and is closest to the operating system. If you were ever to get a job as a game programmer you would more than likely to use C or C++. If you just want to develop Windows game it wouldn't hurt to learn C# after C/C+++. It is not the perfect solution for developing games but it is a good and will more than likely continue to develop in the future. It is still a baby compared to C/C++.

Yes, for my upcoming project my site will include downloadable games.

Quote

I want to write programs for Linux

In this case you would be best to forget about using a .NET language. There is the Mono port for developing C# programs but if you are serious about developing programs for Linux forget .NET languages because they require the .NET framework and it is basically a Microsoft proprietary thing not supported outside of Windows. For Linux you would look at C, C++ or Java. C or C++ because they have standards applied to them. Knowing how to write a C/C++ program on Linux is much the same as knowing how to write a program in Windows. Linux and Windows do have different libraries for many things but the core of the languages is the same. Java because it can be run on any platform that has the JVM. A Java program in Linux is the exact same as a Java program in Windows.

Yes, I do want to create software, which I will write in C++, and if I need Java, I can convert.

Quote

I want to create web applications.

Well, then you would probably want to start with simple HTML and CSS to learn how to create web pages. You could move on to things like Javascript and jQuery to add cool effects to your pages. Then you would want to go server side to develop persistent applications. For server side there are a few options. PHP, Perl, Python and ASP.NET would all be good for this.

After I learn C++, I am Learning HTML (or at least the basics) and CSS.
I also have a C++ to Python Converter.



So, as explained by SixOfEleven, The language that best fits my situation is C++, which can be converted to several languages, and any other languages that are vital, I will learn after.

[Raynes]

CodingNewb, on 6 Dec, 2009 - 06:00 AM, said:

Lol, I know that Assembler>C>C++

But Assembler seems way too difficult, and C++ has advanced features that C doesn't have.

Don't assume that those "advanced" features make C++ any better than C. Most of those "advanced" features only serve to turn C++ into quite the train wreck.

As a side note, you can't 'just convert' between languages on the fly whenever you want to. It doesn't work like that.

This post has been edited by Raynes: 06 December 2009 - 09:05 AM

[CodingNewb]

Well that was quite the positive note, was it not? And how can't I? I've seen software, so you're saying it's fake?

This post has been edited by CodingNewb: 06 December 2009 - 10:44 AM

[ccubed]

Raynes, on 6 Dec, 2009 - 08:01 AM, said:

CodingNewb, on 6 Dec, 2009 - 06:00 AM, said:

Lol, I know that Assembler>C>C++

But Assembler seems way too difficult, and C++ has advanced features that C doesn't have.

Don't assume that those "advanced" features make C++ any better than C. Most of those "advanced" features only serve to turn C++ into quite the train wreck.

As a side note, you can't 'just convert' between languages on the fly whenever you want to. It doesn't work like that.

Depends on the language. C++ is quite easily converted to C barring C++ STL and OOP stuff. C is quite easily converted to C++ with no exceptions except to put extern c where and if it's needed.

On the other hand, languags like Java and Javascript have close enough syntax that one could port them over to C++ and just replace the java functions with C++ functions. Granted this method might take some time, but not as much as I think you're trying to imply.

As well, there are interpreters that convert between languages out there. They usually work quite well too. In the end though, it's all machine code.

As for the Advanced features of C++, They do not make C++ a train wreck. It was made to allow native OOP and it does that quite well. STL is simply a developer made collection of templates for Abstract Data Types and everything else for the most part is C. The only REAL difference between C and C++ is that somethings, such as Class, have been explicitly declared in the language.