Help in choosing a programming language

Question

I am a student of std.7 and learning GW-BASIC in school. BASIC doesn't suit my needs and other languages will start from std.9

I can't wait that long (I'm sick of BASIC). I am trying to choose some other good programming languages. (I know this question is silly)

Desktop Application Programming and Web app design are my main goals. I don't want to learn many languages one by one and then choose one. I just want to stick to one or two. I don't want to go learning languages one by one. Which of these fit my goal? [It can also have a GUI option] :

• C
• C++
• Python
• Visual Basic
• Any other?? [PHP,JS,Java,etc...]

Please help me since I am totally confused! Which languages are good for database programming and which languages can be interpreted with both an active and inactive internet connection? Also list good books,ebooks and tutorials for those languages

Answer 1

I'd advice something that gives you quick results. Try something like shell scripting for a start.

It'll give you immediate results and is actually quite useful.

You could then move on to Python, Perl6, or something else.

For a Beginner, I recommend Python.

Answer 2

Well for desktop development, C++ with Qt is a good choice. Python is a good second choice.

If you are designing a web application that works with databases, like MySQL, go with something like PHP.

Answer 3

Python is usually a recommended programming language for beginners.

It's syntax is easy to get a grip on, and it has built-in libraries for everything you can imagine, including GUI libraries, which should be handy when you want to focus on desktop development.

Just as an example, the following lines of code will pop up a simple window:

from Tkinter import *
root = Tk()
w = Label(root, text="Hello, world!")
w.pack()
root.mainloop()

For web development, you have multiple web frameworks to get you started with web apps, such as Django and CherryPy.

Again, just as an example to show how easy it can be to run a simple web app, the following code in CherryPy will start a simple "hello world" web server:

import cherrypy

class HelloWorld(object):
    def index(self):
        return "Hello World!"
    index.exposed = True

cherrypy.quickstart(HelloWorld())

On the programming side, it supports multiple programming paradigms: you can learn not only object-oriented programming, but also the basics of functional programming (even though Python is NOT a functional language).

If you're into Python, check out:

• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2876337/how-should-i-go-about-learning-python
• http://stackoverflow.com/questions/81584/what-ide-to-use-for-python

(If the IDE thread gives you a headache, you might just want to use PyScripter)

Good luck!

Answer 4

Python is definitely the choice for a first language when you want to do desktop or console programming. It's well-structured and it has lots of things built in, including a pretty decent set of GUI features.

Web Applications result in a lot more controversy, and it depends to some extent what you want to do. PHP is in more places on the web than probably any other language anymore, due in large part to the popularity gained in the late '90s and early 2000s. So if you want a job in web development, it's good to know your way around PHP.

In a couple years, the answers may change. So in answer to your question, it's less about picking a particular language and more about learning first what a computer programming language can do for you, and second what are the commonalities and differences among them, and third how to select a language given a task.

The very worst thing for a programmer is to know only one language. But the second worst thing is early exposure to BASIC -- at least in it's classic form with line numbers, goto statements, and a distinct lack of structuring capacity like user-definable functions.

Still, Python is a good start. Learn it, and it will make your BASIC better.

Answer 5

Do not focus on languages, but on Programming Paradigms. After you've learned a language that conforms to a paradigm, a little effort is required to learn another language that conforms to the same paradigm (and it will consists in learning the syntax properly, some library etc at the depth level you'd like).

Programming is about solving problems, and you can do this with different approaches, and each approach supports different paradigms and each language can conform to multiple paradigms.

I'd suggest to start with C or Python as Imperative Programming languages and then you can move to the Object Oriented Paradigm using Python as well. The imperative paradigm is one of the simplest to learn (since it conforms to the Operational approach, the one most used by humans to solve problems everyday and reflects how the machines work at lower levels), the object oriented one will be easier to understand. You say that BASIC does not suit your needs, I recognize that it is not so good and maybe learning it at school bothers you but you shall define your goals more programmatically : P

And learning more than one language in sequence based on needs is far better than stick to those learned at once forever, you might end like the teacher who is trying to make BASIC enter your life

Answer 6

I would recommend to look at how hard it would be to find a job at the place you're live in or goin' to live in. F.e. you can start working on your C++ skills, but it may turn out that that is nearly impossible to find any related work place. In the case you have a secret desire to make a contribution to Linux, that would be the best choice :)

Anyhow some knowledge of most used techologies like SQL, XSLT, HTML, CSS, JavaScript will always help. I would choose Java or .NET, but if Ruby-on-Rails can pay your bills - go for it.

Answer 7

Definitely Python is a good choice. Even if it is interpreted, it is fast and it gives you cross-platform capabilities. On the other hand C/C++ are powerful but if you have to make something useful it would take you ages (and you'd have to stick to libraries that are cross-platform and you'd have to compile your program for different platforms, ex. Linux or Windows etc). Visual Basic is not anymore the old traditional powerless basic, but the problem is the limited portability (although there are .NET implementations for Linux like Mono). PHP and the like are traditionally used for Web applications. I too recommend Python if you want to begin with programming.

Answer 8

OK.So I have decided :-

• Python
• C or C++[As I'll decide by those learning curve]
• PHP Do we have to learn html too[extensively] for getting good work in PHP??Recommend some book in comments..Are these things right?