How to choose a computer language?
 

Hello all :p

I am a student and would like to focus one language in my life.

I learnt little C,Java,Prolog,Python before.

However, I was limited by Micro$oft's Window's platform,
and now I want to do coding both on Linux and Windows.

Therefore, I am surely I must give up Visual Basic and C#.
But, C, Java, Python, Prolog,... which one is good for
long term learning?

I want to write some application, such as education software,
database, and business software.

Can anyone give me suggest to me (newbie) :D :study:

Thanks :p

probably c++ for most applications.

i think what most people will say (and i agree with them) is to pick the language that is best suited for the application you want to write. if you want to do web based databases i'd say learn php and perl/cgi.

:D

Thanks, I will borrow a ANSI C++ tomorrow and focus on C++.
:newbie:

rock on

c++
 

C++ is the best language :)

well it all depends on what you want to do. i don't think c++ is appropriate for every programming circumstance

:tisk: That's the mistake right there. Nothing lasts forever, and no language is perfect. You will need to master/be familiar with a bunch of languages so you can pick the right one for the job and always be able to adjust in the future to whatever language comes up. You can't stick to one...

I thought qbasic was the one for life.... sheesh.

for cross-platform-ness, go with Java.

titanium_geek

different languages are good for different things.. I use perl for admin stuff and web stuff. I use Javascript for mozilla development, I use C for most system stuff. I use PHP with MySQL for database/web stuff. Most of these languages will do all of above, but some are just handier at some jobs than others.

Perl is good or Ruby is good for Admin type of stuff. I dont like JScript though, for web development I would still stick with perl and or PHP. C++ I choose to enjoy for its OOP, and I think its a damn good language to learn.

I think that learning C first is a very good option, because many languages have elements of C, and therefore, they're easier to learn once you've learned C well. I would say learn C first: this will makei learning C++ a lot easier (and by learning C you're learning a lot of C++, anyway). Then learn Java, which I think will be easier because you have already learned C++.
Also, after learning C, learning Perl and then PHP will be a breeze.
I my opinion, anyway.

C++
Java
Perl

:twocents:

I have to agree with not settling for one langauge. Each language has something different to offer. Learn a few of the more popular, that will make your abilities more marketable.

yeah its been said, but C or C++, becuz it really opens you up to java and perl.

No, C++ is rarely the best choice for anything. The reason it is used so often is because it has inertia. Tons of coders already know it, so they are cheap (relatively speaking). The tools are plentiful, so they are also cheap. Unfortunately, it's a poor choice from an academic standpoint. A higher-level language or a language with a different paradigm is often just as suitable, but quicker to develop in.

Yup.

Well, without qualification for what you mean by "wanting to do web based databases", I can't really agree or disagree. But I will say that Perl is probably the wrong choice for just about any sort of development, CGI is old and inflexible and not every nice to the programmer, and that PHP is decent for simply creating dynamic pages, but not very good for creating full-fledged web applications (it has no internal state that is persistent across pages, it has to use external sources)

Um, what?

You shouldn't pick a language because it sets you up for other languages, languages shouldn't require "setup" languages to prepare you for them.

If a post from me appears in this thread dated 8/19/03, please disregard it. The site spellchecker sent the verision in progress to the great bit bucket in the sky out and the post is incomplete. Probably wouldn't have been that coherent when complete.:D

Apologies to any inconvenienced.

well i think learning c++ will be good ,as u need to know the oop concepts which u find very useful in implementing bug projects.