VB or Java?

[sparka]

Right now I know nothing about programming languages, and would like to
learn more in this area to help develop my computer programming skills for a possible career, or just for the experience. A conference I'm considering attending will have a 1-day workshop on Visual Basic. How useful would learning this scripting be, vs. say writing cgi or Java (which I've understood is more flexible in its potential
applications). Does anyone have any advice or opinions on this?

In other words, which one would be better to learn? What about learning both? Is it better to learn VB and THEN Java?

Thanks!!

 

[purpledemon]

This thread has similar information.


http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=33&threadid=1766813&enterthread=y

 

[kamper]

If it's between VB and java, I'd take java any day (marketability). Sure, there's lots of vb code out there but you'll either end up in a largely maintenance role or with a manager dumb enough to think that a dead language is a good one to start a new project with. VB.net, on the other hand... I pick java still, but you should try both out and see what you like. Having both is not at all a bad thing.

 

[xtknight]

I like VB a lot more, but sadly (for me), I'd say Java would be more likely to get one a job. I know this thread isn't about C/C++, but if you want a job you should make a commitment to learn C and C++.

 

[pkananen]

if you are thinking about a career in this stuff, then the specific language should be your second thought not your first. a good developer should be able to come up to speed in any language in a short order of time.

 

[juiio]

Originally posted by: pkananen
if you are thinking about a career in this stuff, then the specific language should be your second thought not your first. a good developer should be able to come up to speed in any language in a short order of time.

While that is definitely true, it doesn't work that way when you're looking for a job. You can't just get a job, and then learn the language on the job. The same is true for APIs.

 

[sparka]

All right guys, thanks for the replys!!
I was also considering Java over VB. But...

Would learning java be easier if I did know some VB?

Thanks

 

[KB]

VB 6 will teach you bad programming so knowing it could harm you when you move to java. This is because VB 6 is not really an OOP language as it does not support inheritance.

Learn VB.net or Java first.

 

[neegotiator]

I'd also consider C#.NET, I see lots of postings for that nowadays too, very similiar to Java

 

[hooflung]

Originally posted by: sparka
All right guys, thanks for the replys!!
I was also considering Java over VB. But...

Would learning java be easier if I did know some VB?

Thanks

You have to switch mentalities. I recommend a picking up a book on Object Oriented Thought Process and read it through before ever even touching a language. Procedural is fine and dandy but application development in this day and age as well as the future will depend on how well you can model data.

And while any job will most likely put you into a maintenance role at some point... VB will only put you in the position of what you can and can't do with a language that is being phased out by its creator.

I think Vista will herald the VB apps last stand.

 

[hooflung]

Originally posted by: neegotiator
I'd also consider C#.NET, I see lots of postings for that nowadays too, very similiar to Java

And from a linux guy like myself... when I tend to agree with this... there is something there. .NET 2.0 is sweet make no mistake. C# is robust as JAVA and has arguably the best development studio on the market.

Microsoft is still evil... but they are making huge strides to lock users in with the right angles.

 

[alfa147x]

depends on what u prefer?

how u script
find an ebook for both and u pick

 

[Cooler]

learn C/C++ once you have that down Java will be 10x easier.

int main(){

cout<<"Hello World";

return0;
}

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: hooflung
I recommend a picking up a book on Object Oriented Thought Process and read it through before ever even touching a language.

No offence, but I think that's a terrible idea. I tried to read the gof book while I was still a java newb and it was pure greek. Unless you have something to relate the ideas to and a place to try them out, no OO book will make any sense.

And about procedural style, I think it's still very important to learn. First of all, it still has it's rightful place in any application. Using OO patterns for theoretical but impractical reasons is just as bad as not using them when they should be used. Second, even when OO ideas are better, you're going to find overly procedural code in any real code base. It's painful, but you've got to be able to understand it so that you can argue why it should be refactored 🙂

Originally posted by: hooflung
Microsoft is still evil... but they are making huge strides to lock users in with the right angles.

lol

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: juiio

Originally posted by: pkananen
if you are thinking about a career in this stuff, then the specific language should be your second thought not your first. a good developer should be able to come up to speed in any language in a short order of time.

While that is definitely true, it doesn't work that way when you're looking for a job. You can't just get a job, and then learn the language on the job. The same is true for APIs.

I once got a job for a language that I knew absolutely nothing about. They sat me down in front of a machine with the ide (Delphi) installed, dropped a book in front of me and said "go nuts." A few days later they gave me some simple stuff to start work on (unit testing some fairly shallow code) and everything went quite smoothly from there. I looked back a few months later at the code I'd written and shuddered, but it was still useful. Of course they were only paying me a 1st co-op term salary, so it wasn't a hugely expensive risk 😛