I want to learn programming. Can some one recommend a Language that is easy to learn for complete beginners.

Maybe my advice is arbitrary, but I recommend: c, c++, perl & java.

Hi mate,

Good idea !! you'll see a whole new linux once you can program. I learnt c first and then moved onto perl and c++. C, although an advanced programming language will give you a real kick start into programming. I would recommend the book "C programming a modern approach" by King.

Im sure some other members can also recommend this book. I tried to learn C from youtube/free online documentation and did okay, but once i bought that book my progress/knowledge went through the roof !

C is a tougher than something like VB to learn, but if you learn C, you have a powerfull programming language behind you. Also, the mindset that C will give you will help you in further programming studies


Good luck and stick with it !!
Kind regards,

I would recommend C (low-level) or Python (high-level), depending on which way you want to start.

Like people said, C/C++ or Python is the way to go. Python's online documentation is extremely good, so you can start from the Python tutorial http://docs.python.org/tutorial/ immediately! While I was learning C++, I found the book 'Object Oriented Programming in C++' by Robert Lafore extremely useful. It makes no assumptions about whether you have any idea about programming, and walks you to very advanced concepts gradually. If you can take a look at it before you get it, I am sure you'll find it very helpful too.

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrica...ing-fall-2008/

Textbook is free download, and video lectures are available.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <PROGRAMMING> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

These days, I think that the best way to start learning programming is to surf ... to just look at any one of the literally thousands of sites that talk about programming so that you can "get your head around" how real programmers think ... so that you can change your mind while there's still time! There are so many other nice careers ... plumber, "greeter," basket weaver ...

It depends on what you want to do. For a practical and useful programming language, I would recommend C,C++,or Java. For a good tool for system maintenance, Bash. for something more high level but very powerful, Perl. If you want to learn more about the computer, Intel Assembly Language, and for Rich Internet Application Development, Flex or actionscript.

Sorry For Posting after a week but there was too much work last week. Our summer vacations are ending and there was a heap of homework. I decided to choose C language. I went to the local book market to find "C programming a modern approach" by King, but that was not available. So I got this book called "Let Us C" by Yashavant Kanetkar. I have also Installed Eclipse as an IDE for C language which I am still looking to configure. Thanks alot for your help. I'll keep Bugging you guys, If i got a problem.


Regards

I you're starting programming, I would stronly recommand against an IDE. It hides a lot of the details of the compilation process from you, leaving you wondering how it works and preventing you from really learning it. Instead, I would just use a plain text editor and compile from the command line. Once you get a good understanding of it, then I would move on to either manually using a build system from the command line, or an IDE.

The way it works is that each source file is compiled into an "object file" (they aren't executable yet, since they don't know where the addresses of funcions found in the other object files are), and those are then linked into an executable.

Compile and link in one step:

(Do NOT pass the header (.h) files to the compiler, just the source (.c) files)

Compile:

The above example will create a file named "source1.o".

Link:

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Best advice offered in this entire thread. If it is your first language you will also end up with no end of confusion between what the various language elements are, and what the IDE is/does. Start out building using shell commands, and when you've reached some degree of proficiency (you'll just know when), start building using Makefiles. It is important to understand not only the language, but the processes that occur in the transformation of source code to executable binaries (assuming you will be learning a compiled language).
If you use a scripting language (Python or Perl would be my choices there), the IDE thing is less import, and also less useful.
--- rod.

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OK I had written my first program as per the book said. Also I have Installed the gcc compiler. Now when i gave it the command (m.cbeing the programme name)
THis outputs a file called a.out . What Should I do with this?????

Execute it, of course!

Also, see my examples above where I used the "-o" flag to specify the name of the executable.

You should run it:

.