Programming language suggestion for a newbie?

[Illusio]

I have been thinking of getting into learning how to program more with some of my free time. I've been a front end web designer for many years (HTML, CSS), but I want to learn a language to expand my horizons some (and hopefully make myself more marketable).

Any suggestions on a good place to go? I haven't done any serious programming since college classes (VB, 1 C++ lab). Trying to figure out what a next logical step would be.

 

[aceO07]

If you don't know javascript yet, I think that's a good logical next step.

Else, you might want to look into PHP, .net, Java, Ruby on Rails, something for web development.

 

[degibson]

Let me summarize the thread this will be, from the perspective of someone who has seen these threads crash and burn many times.

You should learn, in no particular order:
C++, C, ASM, Java, Python, Ruby, Perl, C#, Objective-C, HTML, JavaScript, Flash, Visual Basic, Verilog, Scheme, Haskell, Lisp, PHP, bash, csh, sh, tcsh, Delphi, or Brainf*ck.

All kidding aside, OP, be prepared for a variety of answers from this forum. My take is that you should pick a language that you find interesting, based on our impassioned responses, and then ask us for specific help once you dive in.

 

[Kirby]

VHDL, that'd definitely be a change of pace.

 

[Markbnj]

Let me summarize the thread this will be, from the perspective of someone who has seen these threads crash and burn many times.

You should learn, in no particular order:
C++, C, ASM, Java, Python, Ruby, Perl, C#, Objective-C, HTML, JavaScript, Flash, Visual Basic, Verilog, Scheme, Haskell, Lisp, PHP, bash, csh, sh, tcsh, Delphi, or Brainf*ck.

All kidding aside, OP, be prepared for a variety of answers from this forum. My take is that you should pick a language that you find interesting, based on our impassioned responses, and then ask us for specific help once you dive in.

Seriously, we need a good, old-fashioned, one-exe BASIC interpreter/shell.

 

[degibson]

Seriously, we need a good, old-fashioned, one-exe BASIC interpreter/shell.

Ahh, QBasic.exe, my old friend. QBasic.exe was like that woman of questionable virtue that lives next door to every teenage boy, from whom your parents tell you to stay away, except your dad secretly encourages you to go mow her lawn. First time for everything.

 

[Apathetic]

Since you're already an experienced web designer, I recommend you start with languages which are commonly used with web applications. This can be either JavaScript (which is interpreted by the client) or something like either C# or Java (which is handled by the server). Take a simple "Hello, World" page and add a button to it. Learn what happens when you click the button (from client to the server) and go from there.

Dave

 

[EvilManagedCare]

Ahh, QBasic.exe, my old friend. QBasic.exe was like that woman of questionable virtue that lives next door to every teenage boy, from whom your parents tell you to stay away, except your dad secretly encourages you to go mow her lawn. First time for everything.

Wish I'd grown up in that neighborhood

 

[Illusio]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I was thinking of Ruby. I played a little with it last night (tryruby.org website) and it seems like a neat language. I'm still not 100% sure what it's used for (web applications maybe?)

I've played with javascript some in the past. Mostly basic stuff. I hear it can be a little hard to learn though.

 

[Markbnj]

Ahh, QBasic.exe, my old friend. QBasic.exe was like that woman of questionable virtue that lives next door to every teenage boy, from whom your parents tell you to stay away, except your dad secretly encourages you to go mow her lawn. First time for everything.

Your neighborhood was a lot more interesting than mine.

 

[KIAman]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I was thinking of Ruby. I played a little with it last night (tryruby.org website) and it seems like a neat language. I'm still not 100% sure what it's used for (web applications maybe?)

I've played with javascript some in the past. Mostly basic stuff. I hear it can be a little hard to learn though.

Javascript is easy to learn, hard to debug and keep browser compatability.

What are you goals to learning a new language? Are you "just" trying to learn something new to make yourself more marketable? You have a very vague goal and that makes it hard for anyone to guess where you should go.

Some clear and concise goals

1. Want to make myself marketable to the Microsoft world of web development
2. Want to make myself marketable to the mobile world of development
3. Want to learn how to program

Once you figure out exactly what you want, you can go about analyzing the best path to meet your goal.

 

[Illusio]

Javascript is easy to learn, hard to debug and keep browser compatability.

What are you goals to learning a new language? Are you "just" trying to learn something new to make yourself more marketable? You have a very vague goal and that makes it hard for anyone to guess where you should go.

Some clear and concise goals

1. Want to make myself marketable to the Microsoft world of web development
2. Want to make myself marketable to the mobile world of development
3. Want to learn how to program

Once you figure out exactly what you want, you can go about analyzing the best path to meet your goal.

Probably a combination of 3 and 1 (but not necessarily for just MS).

 

[Cogman]

Javascript is easy to learn, hard to debug and keep browser compatability.

What are you goals to learning a new language? Are you "just" trying to learn something new to make yourself more marketable? You have a very vague goal and that makes it hard for anyone to guess where you should go.

Some clear and concise goals

1. Want to make myself marketable to the Microsoft world of web development
2. Want to make myself marketable to the mobile world of development
3. Want to learn how to program

Once you figure out exactly what you want, you can go about analyzing the best path to meet your goal.

I agree completely. What language you choose should be dictated by what goal you have in mind. (That, and you aptitude should also determine it.).

I would personally suggest staying away from functional languages (Lisp, Haskell) for now. While they are useful to learn, they hold completely different paradigms as compared to regular programming, which may make it harder to learn a more standard language.

I also might suggest to stay away from python... But that is just more because I hate both the language and its rabid supporters who think that it is the language of the gods.

C, C++, C#, Java, Pascal, javascript, Ruby, shell scripting, basic, etc. All are good starting choices. Hell, even COBAL wouldn't be a terrible language to learn as there is actually a demand for people that know COBAL (and how to convert it to something else). Just so long as you realize that

The use of COBOL cripples the mind; its teaching should, therefore, be regarded as a criminal offense.

 

[beginner99]

well you will sure need JavaScript for web development. There is no way around it regardless if you choose to do it in MS or Java world.

I think its actually strange only knowing HTML and CSS but not JavaScript. They somehow go hand in hand.

But then JavaScript is a rather "funky" language. Not sure if it is wise to start with it.
For "MS path" I would suggest learn C# (and basics of Object oriented programming) and then JavaScript.

 

[degibson]

Wish I'd grown up in that neighborhood

The neighborhood of DOS. At the intersection of 8088th St and 5.25" Drive.