19 replies to this topic

[ddavinci]

Hi I am new to the forum and I just installed Ubuntu I wanted to ask which programming language I should begin to learn a friend of mine said that I should choose C#(mono develop) or python.If someone could please give me some sound advise in this mather....
thanks in advance....

[Snippet]

I got into programming for a bit back in the day and alot of people suggested python, And by alot I mean alot
Plus theres alot of documentation for python and the program is free. So this language would be my choice although I dont program or anything anymore.

Edited by Snippet, 18 August 2006 - 08:08 PM.

[digitalgalileo]

yeah, go for python. It's really a lot of fun to work with and python.org has a bunch of links to free tutorials and info on getting started.

[ddavinci]

I will try out python they have a great online manual thanks for the info guys....

[Octal]

Python is already installed on ubuntu, so you don't need to install it. Just open up a terminal and type python.

I am guessing you already knew that, but I want more posts.

Edited by Octal, 19 August 2006 - 04:57 PM.

[ddavinci]

thanks for the hint
I guess it is always good to have more posts, python turns out to be a interesting choice....

[n3xg3n]

C++ is my oppinion, it is getting outdated a bit, but alot of people still use C, and tons more use C++, it is powerful, and there is an crapload of code written it it

[BrakeDanceJ]

Basic/Visual basic is a good start. Once you learn basic coding prinicipals in those, learning other languages is very easy. Since you're on ubuntu, you would need to code in "RealBasic" instead. Another (more useful) language to start it, PHP.

[HippyVanMan]

Firstly, I recommend you look up the difference between interpreted and compiled langauges, because it is likely that you do not want to learn an interpreted langauge and would like to learn a compiled one instead. THis is what stoped me learning python.

Also, you should look to see which langauges are "high-level" and which are "low-level" (and "mid-level" of course), python is a high level langauge, and some argue that it is not best practice to learn a high level langauge at first.

C/C++ - Are powerful langauges and allot of programmes are written in them. I would personally recommend C++ out of the two because of its greater support for object orientation. C and C++ are reletively low level langauges. However they are quite hard, I would reccommend C# (C sharp), which I am learning, because it finds a good balance between ease of use and functionality, and being based on C it should make moving on to C, C++, Java or any other C based langauge a reletively easy process

I do not reccomend visual basic or any other kind of basic, learn a more complicated langauge first and when you have that mastered learn basic and im sure youll find it incredibly easy.

If you still do wish to learn python, which is interpreted, then I would reccomend downloading IDLE, which you will be able to find ? (being an ubuntu user) simply by searching for it in synaptics repositories list, or searching for python. IDLE is a very simple python IDE and will make scripting in python an easier process. (I do not know, but you may have to enable all the repositories, universe and multiverse that is).

Edited by HippyVanMan, 22 August 2006 - 04:03 AM.

[Family_Guy]

I'd recommend Python, and in ubuntu, use apt-get to download Stani's Python Editor (SPE). As for the guy above me, have you never heard of Py2exe? Use py2exe, throw the files into an autoinstaller and be on your way...

[TheCheckt]

I can't believe no one has said this yet.

Ruby!

http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/

[HippyVanMan]

I have heard of it, yes, I forgot to mention it because im biased.
I dont know much about ruby, except its interpreted, and I think reletively old.
I was also under the impression that py2exe only runs on windows, and only produces windows executables. Is this correct?
Even then, when they are compiled I didn't think python programs were as fast as those programmed in langauges designed to be compiled.
C# works on both windows and linux and compiles fine into applications to run onto both. PLus tons of langauges are based on C, youll invariably want to learn one at some point in time. Although, im also behinmd the people urging you to learn python, but I personally have never found much good online pyuthon documentation for begginers, and I dont advise you too pick it unless you know what an interpreted langauge is.

[Octal]

Even then, when they are compiled I didn't think python programs were as fast as those programmed in langauges designed to be compiled.

Thats why you learn java afterward. Python is good to start to learn everything in. If you learn python before C and java, C and java are going to be so easy.

Although, im also behinmd the people urging you to learn python, but I personally have never found much good online pyuthon documentation for begginers, and I dont advise you too pick it unless you know what an interpreted langauge is.

As for a begginier gudie to python. A byte of python. I personaly like that guide.

And yes, check this out. Memory in a month will help you remember all this little functions in programing.

[HippyVanMan]

But python is based on C so if you learn C/C++ or C# first then python will be easy.
Also python is higher level, so itll be yet easier again.

[rEph]

what about perl it's my fave. And pretty nubbin friendly too given its non rigid coding requirements, though this could lead to sloppy coding in the future.

[ddavinci]

As for a begginier gudie to python. A byte of python. I personaly like that guide.

And yes, check this out. Memory in a month will help you remember all this little functions in programing.

Thanks for all of your input guys
I will start out with python....
The link provided to a beginners guide to python is much clearer to learn and read than the manual I first read thanks for the link

Edited by ddavinci, 24 August 2006 - 10:52 AM.

[batman24]

oke my 2 cents, i say C++ or C. people say that they are hard to learn but with a good but and some work its not difficult at all. you can find free compilers (Microsoft offers visual express C++ for free as well as Visual express C#). only you can say what is best for you and what language is best for you. try some out learn a bit of each (for example a hello world app) just to get you toes wet a bit. i know microsoft has some C# tut videos that aren't too bad. I personaly don't know that much of (basicly none) Python so i can't say how it compares to C++, C, C#.

[DosPod]

Im tryin to learn python but I dont know what exactly to do if I want to do networkin programming(net tools becuase games I dont play anymore)

[eliasd]

whatever language you choose just make sure its one that has automatic memory management. And after you've learned a dozen or so mediocre languages take a look at lisp (common lisp, actually) and see why its the greatest language ever.

[M0NGL3R]

I would personaly recomend C then C++. Most OS'z are coded in C and though it is a mid-level (Low level compared to python) their are plenty of 3rd party librarys out thier. Also because C/C++ take awhile too learn, you will appreciate Python WAY more after you learn C or C++.

On the other hand than they both can be pretty unfreindly languages for beginers. IMHO you should just experiment with more than one language at a time, but you should definetly learn Python at some point it is a wonderful language. Just go with what you feel is best.