What language to learn?

[izaic3]

I've been wanting to learn a programming language for a while, and am not sure what to learn. I know html, but that is it. I thought about C or C++, but have also heard Visual Basic is good for beginners, and also been recomended java. I'm not really sure which one to pick.

I would want a language that I could make basic applications/utilities with (preferably windows applications, not dos, but either one i guess), and maybe later on simple games. I realize to do the latter I may have to learn a different language.

Also, if you recommend c/c++, is there a huge difference between them? can one start with c, and then switch to c++ relatively easily or not? Also, is one harder than the other. I have heard that c++ is, but I would like to hear your opinions as well.

Also, if you know of any great guides to get started with a language, those links would be appreciated as well. Thanks in advance.

[cryptoguy]

Simple programs- Visual Basic http://www.vbtutor.net/vbtutor.html
Simple games- Well, if you really want to make games with a language, I would suggest Java, otherwise, if you just want to make simple games, get a program such as The Games Factory. I use it myself and know some other people who also like it.

[izaic3]

Thanks, anyone else?

[micfau1091]

Visual Basic is really easy...the hardest part is double-clicking on the icon most of the time....it is great for beginners, but thats only for Windows, if you are going into different oses then Java...but if you wanna learn more powerful code..then i would go with C...

[James T]

If you ever want to go kernel hacking c is the rule. There are some extensive desriptions of why c and NOT c++ for this app. One of the recurring comments in these descriptions is that c++ is used by teachers, c is used by the engineers (in a software sense here).

I've tried c a couple of times and keep coming back to perl. Python is another popular scripting language and a little cleaner though ... I've found perl a little more effective on network sockets. Unless you are in speed critical territory a scripting language is hard to beat. Also perl seems to handle external modules better. http://cpan.org/ is sometimes known as the killer app for perl.

apsn have good windows distributions of perl and python. http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Perl.

[vass0922]

Don't forget Ruby for an excellent scripting language
Not as popular as python, but it hasn't been around as long either.. taking a bit to come over from Japan.

Completely OOP, so its a good language to start to learn what OOP is and how it works.. like perl/python completely free to learn just download the interpreter.

I'm actually trying to get away from VB at themoment because I'm tired of being stuck in winders land.. I want to branch out into Linux programming so looking into Java.
You can use NetBeans or Eclipse for GUI development, both are free to download and use.

[elmers]

I suggest c++ because all c++ "compilers" compile c as well. You should start with c. I dont think java is good for begginers. Another good one is delphi altho I dont care for it much personally. You can get a free ide for c++ from microsoft link

If you start with vb you might get stuck as vass said. You can do anything with vb its just not good to learn the concepts of oop which is the rage these days.

For game programming try Dark Basic which moves polys in realtime with 30 lines of code.

[izaic3]

So it seems like maybe I should start with Visual Basic, for some basic programs, and then move onto C?

[originel]

You could...but really visual basic is very different from c, and most other languages really. If you want to learn a language and move on to other languages, i would recommend c. visual basic is handy to know...but it's structure is just so different.

[izaic3]

Ok, thanks everyone, just one more question (or so). What is the difference between c, and c++, and is it more beneficial to learn one over the other? And is C better to start with since I'm a beginner? Thanks.