Simplified compiled languages, a good choice?

[monsterstack]

I've been learning Python and a dash of Ruby for about a year now, and I reckon it's about time I tried to do something in a compiled language, for the speeds benefits and just to broaden my horizons a bit.

But looking at C++, I find it scares me. C# and Vala don't look any easier to get to grips with either. But then I came across Genie (http://jamiemcc.livejournal.com/11749.html) [livejournal.com] and Boo (http://boo.codehaus.org/) [codehaus.org], Python-esque languages for Vala and C#, respectively. On the face of it, they appear to have all the benefits of simple, interpreted languages like Python, and the speed one associates with C and friends. Documentation is coming along nicely for both of them, too.

But how useful are they, really? Has anyone had any experience with either of these languages and cares to help me out a bit? Is it useful to learn these sort of languages, or will I just be limiting myself? Should I just bite the bullet and dive right in to the nitty gritty stuff, and somehow persevere?

Any guidance or advice appreciated. :)

[Frak]

Plain and simple, learn C. It's hard now, but it makes things SO much easier to understand later. If you know C, you can basically pick up any modern language with ease. This is how it's been with me, though.

[RiceMonster]

Plain and simple, learn C. It's hard now, but it makes things SO much easier to understand later. If you know C, you can basically pick up any modern language with ease. This is how it's been with me, though.

Agreed. C may be tricky at first, but it's worth it. Don't do C++ until you're comfortable with C