The Next Computer Language I Should Learn?

[Charles Stover]

Java is useful as it will prepare you for both web or non-web programming. However, if you choose to focus on being a web programmer, JavaScript will be infinitely more useful for you to know than Java.

[xcessive]

Java is a great way to get introduced to OOP concepts.

[proseth]

I suggest JavaScript. While Java, C++, etc. are great languages to learn, learning JavaScript will familiarize you with programming syntax and can serve as a gateway to more complex languages such as PHP, C++, etc., because of the similarities.

[James [a_leon]]

Oct 9, 2010 13:05:05 GMT -8 @proseth said:

I suggest JavaScript. While Java, C++, etc. are great languages to learn, learning JavaScript will familiarize you with programming syntax and can serve as a gateway to more complex languages such as PHP, C++, etc., because of the similarities.

The same can be said about PHP, Java, and C.

[Chris]

Oct 10, 2010 9:12:15 GMT -8 James [a_leon] said:

Oct 9, 2010 13:05:05 GMT -8 @proseth said:

I suggest JavaScript. While Java, C++, etc. are great languages to learn, learning JavaScript will familiarize you with programming syntax and can serve as a gateway to more complex languages such as PHP, C++, etc., because of the similarities.

The same can be said about PHP, Java, and C.

People are just more impartial to their first language usually. If you want to learn programming basics, people think Python is the way to go.

Comp sci majors at MIT have to start by learning Python. The business majors' required class is Java because it's "industry standard." Yes, business majors have to learn to program. And yes, it is quiet entertaining.

[James [a_leon]]

Oct 10, 2010 13:47:26 GMT -8 Chris said:

Oct 10, 2010 9:12:15 GMT -8 James [a_leon] said:

The same can be said about PHP, Java, and C.

People are just more impartial to their first language usually. If you want to learn programming basics, people think Python is the way to go.

Comp sci majors at MIT have to start by learning Python. The business majors' required class is Java because it's "industry standard." Yes, business majors have to learn to program. And yes, it is quiet entertaining.

I'm not, haha.

First language was True BASIC, then Visual Basic, then JavaScript, followed by Java with small bits of C, C++, and PHP. I personally would likely direct 'em to Java, unless they want to do data structures, then probably C.