First Programming Language

[Tiller]

So I've got a brother in law and a lot of friends who are computer science grads. I've always wanted to try my hand at programming so I could keep up with them.

I may have jumped the gun a little bit already. I downloaded Visual Basic 2010 and started learning the basics of C++. I didn't have any particular reason for picking cpp, it was just the first tutorial that came up in my search (I'm learning from learncpp.com.)

So my question is should I stick with C++ or should I move to something like Java, or something like Python?

 

[SCraig]

I started out simple and C++ was still a handful. Interpretive BASIC, compiled BASIC, FORTRAN, Cobol, Pascal, Visual BASIC, C, C++, several database structures, SQL, MS-DOS command language, VAX/VMS command language, and a few other proprietary languages thrown in. Of them all C++ was the hardest for me to come to grips with, but once I did I really liked it.

Visual BASIC is a good place to start since it teaches the fundamentals of a structured language as well as object-oriented programming.

I've never written in Python and don't have much experience with Java. My recommendation would be to get your feet wet with VB and then move on to C++. If nothing else it will give you a great foundation for any other language you may choose to learn.

 

[Tiller]

Thank you SCraig!

 

[amolitor]

C# is probably the best programming language of its sort out there, so you might take a crack at that.

It has all the jazz you really need to manage substantial projects, supports modern programming idioms, but also lets you write simple quick programs.

 

[IByte]

Python, C++, C#(pound sign) are your favorite brain vein friends. .Java is good with 4 sugars.

 

[gaz87]

C++ and managed programming languages like C# and Java are quite different beasts. C++ will mean you have to deal with memory a lot more (pointers) and perhaps even more about how windows works. It all depends what you want to get into. I'm a software engineer who programs microprocessors, so I mainly program in C but I'm very familiar with C# and Java.
It depends what you want to get into. If you just want to learn data bases / web servers etc. then just jump to C#.

I find that if you really understand what's going on (i.e. learn C and / or C++), it will help you so much when writing software in higher level languages. Writing in C will really help you learn about structuring your software. You could even learn assembler (machine code) to see how you move memory and data around processor registers and memory.

One thing which might be a fun way of learning is to make your own Android app. Its all free, and will give you something to actually aim for.

 

[usayit]

Languages are commodities.... It really doesn't matter which one you pick.

I'd pick the one that your brother in law and friends are familiar with so you can use them for assistance and have good conversations. Another approach is to pick a project first and let that direction decide. Android app for example.