which progrraming language to learn first

[moises]

dave walker Wrote: 
> Dougie wrote:
> 
> > I would recommend C or C++ for a couple of reasons.  There are
> several 
> > good free compilers available for C on both windows and linux.  Alot 
> > of linux stuff is written in C so there should be plenty of source 
> > code to look at and play with. 
> >
> > Visit http://www.cprogramming.com/
> > No certificates but alot of good info and tutorials on the C
> language. 
> >
> >
> > On 7/15/05, *Mustafa Abbasi* <lordverminard at gmail.com 
> > <mailto:lordverminard at gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> >     i have recently started using linux and since its my summer
> >     vacations i wantedto learn a language.
> >     i'll be honest part of this is so that i have  a certificate to
> >     show when i apply to colleges but mostly its cuz i
> >     wanna learn.
> >     so what language should i start with.
> >     i was thinking C or visual basic but i am not sure if visual
> basic
> >     can be used in linux ( can it???)
> >     are these easy to learn, if only at the begginer level.
> >     is there some place that would offer me a certificate for
> >     completing this thing.
> >     i live in pakistan so an online coarse that offer a certificate
> >     would be incredible.
> >     thanks.
> >
> >     --
> >     ubuntu-users mailing list
> >     ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> <mailto:ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com>
> >     http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
> >
> >
> >
> A: Because it ruins the flow of conversation
> Q: Why is top posting bad?
> 
> I would, being a C programmer, say C.  However it is hard.  Stephen
> made 
> a point that C is not good for quick find, and replace in files.  But
> to 
> counter,
> 
> int main()
> {
> 
> __asm                    /* invoke the inline assembler */
> {
> 	STMDB SP!, {R1}       /* save work register */
> MRS R1, CPSR          /* get current program status */
> BIC R1, R1, #0x80     /* clear IRQ disable bit flag */
> ORR R1, R1, R0        /* OR with new value (variable NewState
> is in R0) */
> MSR CPSR, R1          /* store updated program status */
> LDMIA SP!,{R1}        /* restore work register */
> }
> }
> 
> This would be very hard, if not impossible to do in Perl without
> calling a C function.  The question is,
> are you going to need to be able to understand what it does?  I will
> however say, don't not learn C.
> It is a great language to know, it sure teaches you a lot of design and
> formality.  But, it is not easy
> to master whereas a scripting language with better documentation would
> be easier to learn.
> 
> my 2cents.
> 
> --
> Dave
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> ubuntu-users mailing list
> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users

I find python great but I wouldn't recomend it as a first language:
the lack of variable declaration can encourage bad practices to a newie
(opinion)



I agree that c can become somewhat cryptic (I'm still stunned with dave
walker's example) but it allows also a clean and structured programming.
This is the one I normaly use to teach programming to beginners as a
runnable support for pseudocode.



You've got a pretty good free compiler in linux and lots of tutorials
on the web. Although I don't know anyting about the certifying stuff.
Probably you could find something from Microsoft. BTW, look for MONO
(the .NET platform) it could help you with the VB search. I suggest you
to consider java too.


-- 
moises