Which programming language should I learn after Java?
 

I am by no means an expert at Java, in fact I have only been programing in Java a little over a month. (I've got the basics down and can compile fairly complex programs for a beginner, I feel.) But, as it takes years to really become proficient at any language, I don't really find it worthwhile to wait until I feel I have "mastered" a language to start learning another.

That being said, I much prefer Linux to Windows so I'm not real interested in C#. The languages I'm really considering are Python, Perl, LISP, HTML/XHTML, and, only because I see so many suggestions to, though I feel it's mostly outdated as far as the manual management of hardware, C/C++.

So, out of these languages, which would be the easiest to learn given my Java background? In fact, if you could put them in order of which I should learn, first to last and why you think that would be a good progression, I would very much appreciate it. :-)

Python. Great for almost anything (short of maybe systems programming). Mature libraries for every need. Less verbose and more streamlined than Java.

OP, note that HTML isn't a programming language.

You might want to consider Ada as their are many languages based on it. Ada-Spark is used in critical applications like Aviation and Medical devices. Verilog and VHML are both Ada based.

However, Python is already installed on most Linux distros and is easy to start with.

Nylex,
Thanks for that, I'm aware lol. I just meant I intend to learn it and though I know it's not a programming language, I did not know how else to classify it.

I think its best to know one compiled language and one scripted language as the way you solve problems between them is slightly different and its good to get a good understanding of one is more useful. I personally think Java is a mid level language which sometimes doesn't do it very well. So I would recommend any scripted language such as python, perl or ruby. find one where you like the look and feel of and start writing!

It's a markup language.

Verilog/VHDL - to finally understand there's some HW doing "all that".

An assembly language.

A functional language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_programming .

Perl.

Thanks for the clarification dugan.

And thanks pgpython and dugan for the informative suggestions. I will be going with Python. Thank you all. :-)

I would recommend to learn Common Lisp, C and Perl. Take Common Lisp at first, it's pretty difficult for someone comming from an procedural language (this is my experience). But once you've learned Lisp, you will have much less difficulties with any other language.

As of Python: it is ubiquitous in these days, but I don't like it. Perl is much more interesting.

Markus