Which language for a beginner?

[Haegin]

Hi, I want to learn to program, I don't want to do anything in particular, I just want to learn (it will probably come in use at some point). Which language should I use and can I write the programs on kate. Ideally it needs to be easy to learn and understand but still have all the complicated stuff that I will need when learning other languages.

I have a vague hope of making more games for linux but I dont think that will be for a while yet. I am an A level student (16) and I want to learn before I reach uni (2006/2007 depending on whether I have a gap year or not).

Thanks

[Sam]

Try with PHP, it's very flexible and you can quickly learn the programming basics.

After that you can have a look on Python, or C++ if you're courageous :wink:

[thoms]

I'd learn python, it's one of the easiest languages to pickup and can be extended for games programming with the pygame module.

[tread]

C, then C++.

I believe it is possible to learn any language once you know those two :).

[defkewl]

I never knew that there is a language for beginner and non-beginner. I think any language is good for beginner. Perhaps you should ask what book for A language that is good for beginner :)

[Sam]

I never knew that there is a language for beginner and non-beginner. I think any language is good for beginner. Perhaps you should ask what book for A language that is good for beginner :)
The approach is a lot different if you compare Pascal or MS Visual Basic with C or ASM !!!

[gratefulfrog]

Hi, I want to learn to program, I don't want to do anything in particular, I just want to learn (it will probably come in use at some point).

That's the right attitude. Learn to program first, then do some programming.

You have to ask yourself what kind of programmer you'd like to be and how much is it worth to you? Do you want to conceive systems, or do you want to spit out code?

If your goals are high, then you've got to grit your teath and go for it: Lisp first, Smalltalk second, C third. Forget all the others until you know those 3.

A great starting point:
The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/) : the book is available on line, as is the course, and a 20 hour version of the course in video! This book will teach you all there is to know about computing, but its tough, very tough. If you can get through it, you can consider yourself on the way...

Once you've gone through SICP, Smalltalk and C will come as second nature.

If you goals are lower, or if SICP is simply too much to bite off, try learning C any way you can. This will allow you to write potentially fast code for any platform.

Another route might be Python, but to be really good at it, you'll still need to know all that is in SICP (indeed to be good at programming in general, you will always need to know the things in SICP).

Anyway, I would avoid languages like Visual Basic and Pascal, since what you'll learn there, you'll probably have to unlearn the day you have to do serious programming.

[LordHunter317]

C, then C++.No. Learning C before learning C++ is just going to teach you bad habits in the latter.

The best thing the OP can do is take a class, even if it's a crappy class at a community college or something. Having a mentor is infinitely better than having a book.

If your goals are high, then you've got to grit your teath and go for it: Lisp first, Smalltalk second, C third. Forget all the others until you know those 3.Why pick two dead languages and a third that's headed to being used solely in legacy and embedded systems, and UNIX kernels?

Much more correct replacements in this day and age would be Scheme, Java, and C++ (and I mean proper C++, not C dressed up as C++).

I do agree with your recommendation of SICP, however. It does teach most of the theory behind programming. However, writing anything practical and immediately useful to a person in Scheme is somewhat of a hard task.

As such, if the OP wants more immediate rewards, python is probably the best suited choice. If they want to be a viable professional programmer, learning Java and/or C# would be the best idea.

So it depends on what the OP really wants to do. Until he says, "I really want to do XXX" beyond games, it's tough to make any recommendation.

[jean]

Hi,
Can anyone tell me how i can run and execute a source code which i have written in 'python' using a normal text editor like 'vim' ?
Thanx

[sas]

python filename.py should do it

[defkewl]

The approach may be different, but you didn't answer the question. Any beginner could learn the language you mentioned above ;)

[jean]

awesome...thanx!!

[nobodysbusiness]

I suggest that you start with Python. Yes, you would probably learn a lot from Lisp and other more difficult languages, but you also might get bored and give up. One of the best things about python is that it makes programming fun! It puts the 'fun' back in functional programming! :-)

Take a look at this free, online book:
http://diveintopython.org/toc/index.html