Is anyone else tired of people asking if they should learn a programming language?

[Siph0n]

Is anyone else tired of people posting threads on whether or not they should learn a specific programming language? I see multiple threads a day about if someone should learn python or ruby or C# or perl.... but why do you need someone else to tell you its ok to learn them? If you want to learn them, just learn them! Than if you need help, ask your questions in the forum...

If also see a lot of threads about people wanting to learn python first, and than move on to C or some other language. Why not just learn the language you want to learn to begin with? The syntax may be easier, or it may be quicker, in python, but if your ultimate goal is to learn C, than why not just read some tutorials on C? There are plenty out there.... Especially if this is your first programming language, you don't have to worry about confusing the syntax with another language.

That's just my 2 cents... Anyone else feel the same way? Any opinions?

[Daveski]

I am of the opinion that if you learn one language, it should be fairly easy to pickup the syntax of a new one - so long as the languages are of the same type (functional / procedural etc).

[nrs]

It's like asking "Should I go to the bathroom?" I think. And I agree with Daveski.

[LaRoza]

Is anyone else tired of people posting threads on whether or not they should learn a specific programming language? I see multiple threads a day about if someone should learn python or ruby or C# or perl.... but why do you need someone else to tell you its ok to learn them? If you want to learn them, just learn them! Than if you need help, ask your questions in the forum...

If also see a lot of threads about people wanting to learn python first, and than move on to C or some other language. Why not just learn the language you want to learn to begin with? The syntax may be easier, or it may be quicker, in python, but if your ultimate goal is to learn C, than why not just read some tutorials on C? There are plenty out there.... Especially if this is your first programming language, you don't have to worry about confusing the syntax with another language.

That's just my 2 cents... Anyone else feel the same way? Any opinions?

I don't see any reason why learing only one language is valuable. A programmer should transcend the tools, ie, the languages, editors, and compilers, and have an understanding of the real programming concepts of data structures, program flow, algorithms, maintaining code, etc.

Learning Python before learning C, may be faster than trying to learn C by itself, and if someone is new enough to ask about it, learning Python is more useful.

[nrs]

I don't see any reason why learing only one language is valuable. A programmer should transcend the tools, ie, the languages, editors, and compilers, and have an understanding of the real programming concepts of data structures, program flow, algorithms, maintaining code, etc.

Learning Python before learning C, may be faster than trying to learn C by itself, and if someone is new enough to ask about it, learning Python is more useful.

I don't think anyone is questioning the value of learning multiple languages, what's being questioned is the value of learning a language (sometimes a radically different one) as a stepping stone to another.

I don't see any value in using Python as a prelude to C, it seems like Apples and Oranges. I could understand C being used as a prelude to C++, but even then i disagree with it. All it really accomplishes is you bringing one languages isms to another.

[quinnten83]

should I learn python??
oh wait wrong thread :).

Well speaking as a non coder, but hopefully a coder if the time permits,
I don't think these questions are asked because they want permission. They ask the question mostly because they do not know where to start.
And because they want to contribute, but feel they can only do that as a coder.
well that is my experience anyway.

[TBOL3]

It's like asking "Should I go to the bathroom?" I think. And I agree with Daveski.

Hay, should I go to the bathroom?

[Chilli Bob]

I see no problem with asking these questions. A lot of people (myself included) would like to learn a language for whatever reason, but having a life away from the keyboard, haven't the time to waste learning a language only to find out later on it's of no use to them. So why shouldn't they ask whether Python,C or C++ is the way to go?

LISP might be fun to learn, but I don't think it will be much help if you want to improve Ubuntu. (I could be completely wrong here)

I'm slowly trying to learn Python. I used to be a dab hand at TRS-80 BASIC, but there doesn't seem much call for it these days.

[Siph0n]

lol, well first of all, it's never a waste to learn something :) If you are going to ask which language you should learn though, you are only getting what everyone else uses. If you want to improve Ubuntu, you can use any language, though it would be easier in Python. If you want to improve a C++ project, you wouldn't learn Lisp to do so.

[shavenlunatic]

I asked a question a few weeks back requesting advice on which language would be best to learn if I wanted to generate program A or simple game B...

Having only used QB/VB/VBA/Pascal I wouldn't have a clue if I was to start learning Python only to find out that it doesn't have what I need

Basically.. if someone is "should I learn to program??" then yeah.. they should be asking themelves that question.. but if it's advice on where to get started, stating their end-goal and asking what are the best tools to reach that end-goal.. why is there a problem with people asking advice from people who have more experience??? seems a bit harsh in my opinion

[ice60]

i think asking if they should learn a language is a bit stupid, but asking which way is the best to go about starting is pretty sensible.

[forrestcupp]

I don't see any value in using Python as a prelude to C, it seems like Apples and Oranges. I could understand C being used as a prelude to C++, but even then i disagree with it. All it really accomplishes is you bringing one languages isms to another.
There could be a lot of value to it. First of all, it's not apples to oranges. Python and C++ are both object oriented, where as C is not OO.

But the real value is that if you take someone who doesn't have any experience in programming at all and throw them into C or C++, they will have a hard time with it and may give up quickly. But if you start them in Python, they will be able to see results faster and easier, which will keep their interest and curiosity and give them basic logical programming skills with the ability to come up with algorithms. Then after they get that understanding, C++ will not be so overwhelming and they will be more likely to stick with it.

That is exactly my experience. About 12 years ago I started on C++ and gave up because I wanted to see results fast. Then later I picked up Python and learned it in a week and added GTK to it. Then I also later learned C#. All of that gave me what I needed to easily learn C++ and stick with it.

[popch]

Programming language in singular is scarcely useful, anyway. Nearly any job I can remember required a number of languages.

Given that there are so many programming languages, asking for advice before selecting one over the other seems sensible to me.

Unfortunately, people who want to learn programming do not even know what to ask. In many cases, they also do not understand the answers.

[LaRoza]

LISP might be fun to learn, but I don't think it will be much help if you want to improve Ubuntu. (I could be completely wrong here)


It isn't used as much as other languages, but some applications are in LISP, Emacs for one.

[qqzhenyi]

Ask them to learn binary

[bruce89]

But the real value is that if you take someone who doesn't have any experience in programming at all and throw them into C or C++, they will have a hard time with it and may give up quickly. But if you start them in Python, they will be able to see results faster and easier, which will keep their interest and curiosity and give them basic logical programming skills with the ability to come up with algorithms. Then after they get that understanding, C++ will not be so overwhelming and they will be more likely to stick with it.

Complete opposite experience for me.

I started reading Dive into Python, and I couldn't make head nor tail of it (I know it's not a starting book).

I then decided to learn C, and found it bloody easy.

[Luigi239]

Hay, should I go to the bathroom?

No, go sit in a corner and suffer. :KS

On topic, as somebody who has been wondering about which language to start with myself, its a very daunting topic, and its very hard to know where to start. Although people asking can be annoying, as a person in the same situation, I can see why they keep asking.

[Tundro Walker]

Dude, you're complaining about human nature rule #1...

"People like to talk about doing something more than just doing it."

You go to any forum on the internet related to actually doing something...working on cars, gardening, pet grooming, bodybuilding, nose-hair trimming... and you'll see tons more posts from folks asking "should I?" rather than "hey, I did it!"

Some folks just want attention, that's why they talk about it rather than doing. Others think that talking about it will motivate them to do it.

What all these folks are really, subconsciously saying is, "I'd really be more apt to do this in a social setting, where I'm either learning with or competing with others." That's why some folks have a hard time getting in shape on their own, but the minute they join a sports team, they're running tires and bleachers with the best of them.