which progrraming language to learn first

[Johann Spies]

On Mon, Jul 18, 2005 at 10:30:29AM -0400, Stephen R Laniel wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 18, 2005 at 02:50:56PM +0200, Johann Spies wrote:
> > I like Python, but my favourite is Ocaml
> 
> Wow. Very heterodoxical. I like it.
> 
> Do you think that a functional programming language is
> the best way to start? I ask non-rhetorically; I don't know
> how to do functional programming, and I've always been
> curious about ML.

I am probably the wrong one to ask about the "best way to
start". Programming is more a hobby to me than a profession.

I just know that after working with ocaml I just don't really want to
work with any other language.  Maybe functional programming is a good
way to start.  If you ever want to change over to an imperative
language again (and you can do imperative programming with Ocaml also)
it might be easier than the other way round.  Coming from an
background of a self-taught amateur programmer working with languages
like Pascal, Python and Ruby, I found the thinking of functional
programming difficult to grasp.  Earlier in my life I also
experimented with Prolog which was also a lot different.

You will probably not want to change to another language after
starting with Ocaml except maybe a bit of C-programming.

Regards
Johann
-- 
Johann Spies          Telefoon: 021-808 4036
Informasietegnologie, Universiteit van Stellenbosch

     "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and
      whose hope the LORD is."            Jeremiah 17:7