[wplug] Best programming language for beginner?

[terry mcintyre]

If you are just getting started out, Python allows you to do a lot with a few lines of code. 

It is an actual working language - many people use it In Real Life, myself included. 

I've heard Ruby has similar virtues; it's a matter of taste. 

Java is used heavily, but it takes a lot more work to get things done. I don't know enough to speak for its virtues, but some people evidently like it. Nonetheless, it is not a good "first language", IMHO. 

C++ is also used heavily in the commercial world, but is too complex for a first language; too much to absorb at once. 

I like David Pryke's recommendations. 

As for knowing how hash tables work, etc -- if that interests you, you want to study the design of compilers, algorithms, and so forth. I love bottom-up studies, but would not suggest that as the first approach to learning about computer languages and programming. 
 
Terry McIntyre <terrymcintyre at yahoo.com>


Unix/Linux Systems Administration
Taking time to do it right saves having to do it twice.


>________________________________
> From: David J. Pryke <david-wplug at pryke.us>
>To: General user list <wplug at wplug.org> 
>Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 6:25 PM
>Subject: Re: [wplug] Best programming language for beginner?
> 
>I endorse and agree with what most of the longer, more intelligent responses
>have said, but I wanted to point out a fairly usable into to programming
>book I have looked at in the past. There are several versions out there,
>including those based on Python, OCaml, C++, and Java; I recommend the
>Python one if you have any interest in learning Python, and no great
>interest in revisiting Java.
>
>The goal, ultimately, is to help you through the thought process of
>programming itself, independent of the language, but to also help you build
>skills in one language while you do that.
>
>The book in general is called "How to Think Like a Computer Scientist" and
>is freely available online, as it has a Creative Commons
>(Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported) License. You can search for that
>title if you would like to find other versions, but here are links to a few
>of the Python ones:
>
>http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/
>
>http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/
>
>If you want to read some Amazon reviews of the text (there was a hard copy
>edition available for purchase), go to:
>http://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Like-Computer-Scientist/dp/0971677506
>
>And of course, a web search for more, based on the title:
>https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22how+to+think+like+a+computer+scientist%22
>
>Whatever you choose to do, good luck! Be persistent, ask questions, and have
>fun!
>
>-- David J. Pryke
>david at pryke.us
>
>
>
>On 2/22/2013 12:34 PM, Brian Makin wrote:
>> There are two main schools of thought here, top down or bottom up.
>> Top Down is that you learn the barest possible tech.  dynamic languages,
>> libraries for everything, no memory management etc etc etc.  This lets you
>> start doing something fast... but you don't really know what you are doing.
>>  But in many cases you don't really care.
>> The second is bottom up where you learn how things work, then compose those
>> things.
>> 
>> ex: You don't need to know how a hash table works to use a dict in python.
>>  Of course you won't know when the right time to use one is, the
>> performance characteristics, or how to implement a variant if you need one.
>>  But if you first learn low level datastructures then you can use any
>> library function you come across safely.
>> 
>> 
>\
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