Quick Language to learn for fun

Trizon · 02-20-2008, 08:33 AM

Does anyone know of a programming language that can easily be learned very quickly? This isn't anything serious. I was just thinking there might be some alternative languages out there (serious or not) that you could pick up and learn very quickly, because there isn't much to it.

indienick · 02-20-2008, 08:40 AM

Python - plain and simple.

It's whole motto is "there's only one way to do it", hence the one conditional structure (if-else), and the one looping structure (for). I've messed around in it quite a few times, and it's really nice, but I've got my thick skull lodged in Lisp for power, C for odds and ends, and Java for portability. I'm definitely considering adding Python to that list, just because it's so incredibly easy.

Alternately, you could try Scheme - which boasts itself to be a "purer" form of Lisp. The standard library is small, but if you're used to ALGOL-based languages (C, C++, BASIC, Java, etc.) the syntax a head-trip, but oh-so-worth-it once you finally get it.

Hko · 02-20-2008, 09:01 AM

Here's yet another vote for python.
Easy and fun to learn if you already know some programming.

makyo · 02-20-2008, 12:47 PM

Hi.

I rarely use it, but it is quickly learned:

Quote:

ABC is an interactive programming language and environment for personal computing, originally intended as a good replacement for BASIC. It was designed by first doing a task analysis of the programming task.

ABC is easy to learn (an hour or so for someone who has already programmed), and yet easy to use. Originally intended as a language for beginners, it has evolved into a powerful tool for beginners and experts alike.

More at: http://www.jprs.in/computereducation...clanguage.html
and http://homepages.cwi.nl/~steven/abc/

Best wishes ... cheers, makyo

H_TeXMeX_H · 02-20-2008, 02:27 PM

I too vote for python, it's the easiest to learn language I've tried. You can probably learn it in just a few hours, assuming you have some previous programming experience. If you're new, it'll definitely take longer. I think basic is also pretty easy to learn, but I still recommend python, it's more powerful, you can do more with it faster and easier.

Trizon · 02-20-2008, 03:32 PM

Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies.
I had thought about Python, but did not realize it was so easy to learn.

telemeister · 02-22-2008, 02:44 AM

One great thing about python is that it can be used at different levels..

i.e. easy to learn in its basic form, but it has plenty of scope for
further development.

The other great thing is that there is a very active 'community'. If you are picking one language to learn
you dont really want to pick something 'obscure'. Over that past 5 years Python has really developed a
big following and you get the sense that it is a language that is 'going somewhere'.

I've been programming for 30+ years (eek!) and Python is certainly the one I've gotten excited about lately!