Programming Language?

[Shibby-Shabs]

Ok so I've been learning PHP and HTML/CSS and I know what I know obviously but I would like to start programming so what would be the best language to learn, by this I mean what do most programmers use?

[LMS16]

Javascript, PERL, CURL (useful in php) & ASP (basically microsoft's version of html - I think)

Lew.

[NitromeGamer]

Javascript is a nice thing to play with.
There's some money in ASP.NET, and MsSQL development, although the server technologies can be quite costly...
However, c# is possibly one of the best at the moment as it works with ASP.NET and PHP (and more), plus you can build both applications and web applications with it ;)

[Shibby-Shabs]

I'm new to the programming side so I'm not sure.. actually I'm not sure what I'm asking. I want to be able to eventually create programs for windows, I cannot think of a good example but when you say javascript I'm seeing the HTML side, is HTML and PHP also used in programs?

[NitromeGamer]

As in applications?
Not really... PHP is a server-side web language really. You can get away with some stuff in Adobe AIR - Adobe AIR Basically allows you to combine HTMl, Javascript and Flash and produce an application with it.

What do you mean "Seeing the HTML side of javascript"?

[Shibby-Shabs]

As in applications?
Not really... PHP is a server-side web language really. You can get away with some stuff in Adobe AIR - Adobe AIR Basically allows you to combine HTMl, Javascript and Flash and produce an application with it.

What do you mean "Seeing the HTML side of javascript"?

Not really the html side, I mean like how you combine it. So C# would be a good language to learn? Do you know what programs I'll need, if not I'll google/youtube

[NitromeGamer]

For C#, there are various tools you can use.
The Microsoft Visual Express stuff is quite good (http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/#2010-Visual-CS). ;)

[Shibby-Shabs]

I'll start on that than. Thanks. +rep

[N!ck]

Java or C++.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_%28programming_language%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B

[Johno]

C++ is pretty easy to pick up :) If you know some PHP, it'll probably make things a little easier - the syntax is very similar (since PHP is derived from C and so is C++)

[lolwut]

Java or Ruby on Rails are great languages.

Why are people recommending Microsoft languages? D:

[Pyroka]

If you use PHP, I'd say getting into Java would be pretty easy for you, and then you can pick up C# so easily. I only say Java because it's fun to code in notepad and it's a nice habit to get into.

I do both of these btw, all the languages are very similiar to eachother.

@above post: I tried Ruby on Rails out, liked it.

One other one I'm particularly hard (yes that type of hard) about is Python mmm Python.

[HotelUser]

ASP is quite seriously useless crap. PHP is much more commonly used and much better supported. The fact that ASP is for IIS which hardly anyone uses should be a mighty big turnoff.

Web development right now really requires that you have a good knowledge of PHP and jQuery (no you don't even need to be very Javascript DOM savvy, a fundamental knowledge of how this works is just fine).

http://w3schools.com is an absolute godsend for learning PHP especially since it covers how to communicate with databases.

That's for web development. For development for Windows, OS X and Linux distributions themselves I would really side with C++. C# is ridiculously Windows oriented and excludes other platforms entirely. In my opinion it doesn't have an edge over its older brother C++ but I suppose that is down to personal preference.

If you go C++ you should use the Qt framework (http://qt.nokia.com/products/) which comes with a cross platform GUI toolkit and IDE.

A good C++ tutorial to begin with (http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/)

A good Qt tutorial (to compliment the one above) (http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/tutorial.html)

[NitromeGamer]

ASP is an older language, not something I'd really be bothering with :L
ASP.net is a newer language, which can be quite powerful... my only problem with it is the cost of Microsoft servers and server technologies required to run it. If you take a look at their site it looks quite nice xD (http://www.asp.net/ (http://www.asp.net))

[Chippiewill]

Scheme, I went there..

[Pieman]

ASP is quite seriously useless crap. PHP is much more commonly used and much better supported. The fact that ASP is for IIS which hardly anyone uses should be a mighty big turnoff.

Web development right now really requires that you have a good knowledge of PHP and jQuery (no you don't even need to be very Javascript DOM savvy, a fundamental knowledge of how this works is just fine).

http://w3schools.com is an absolute godsend for learning PHP especially since it covers how to communicate with databases.

That's for web development. For development for Windows, OS X and Linux distributions themselves I would really side with C++. C# is ridiculously Windows oriented and excludes other platforms entirely. In my opinion it doesn't have an edge over its older brother C++ but I suppose that is down to personal preference.

If you go C++ you should use the Qt framework (http://qt.nokia.com/products/) which comes with a cross platform GUI toolkit and IDE.

A good C++ tutorial to begin with (http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/)

A good Qt tutorial (to compliment the one above) (http://doc.trolltech.com/4.3/tutorial.html)


A little outdated tut for Qt :)

Here's the new linky: http://doc.trolltech.com/4.7/tutorials.html

The only downside that I have encountered with Qt(not to mention the 3-4 hour compile time) is the way it connects to MySQL databases using it's default MySQL library. It's very easy to retrieve the database info transferred over the connection between the client and the server.

[iZoinc]

C#, Perl, ASP, C++ etc.

[HotelUser]

A little outdated tut for Qt :)

Here's the new linky: http://doc.trolltech.com/4.7/tutorials.html

The only downside that I have encountered with Qt(not to mention the 3-4 hour compile time) is the way it connects to MySQL databases using it's default MySQL library. It's very easy to retrieve the database info transferred over the connection between the client and the server.

I'll be honest with you, I haven't gone into depth enough with Qt to utilize its SQL library. I mostly side with it because of it being cross platform. GTK doesn't do it for me on the Mac - entirely ugly widgets :P

[Pieman]

I'll be honest with you, I haven't gone into depth enough with Qt to utilize its SQL library. I mostly side with it because of it being cross platform. GTK doesn't do it for me on the Mac - entirely ugly widgets :P

I don't even want to know how GTK looks like on a Mac :hand: :D

[HotelUser]

I don't even want to know how GTK looks like on a Mac :hand: :D

http://gtk-osx.sourceforge.net/images/GnuCash-Mac-No-Theme.jpg

It leaves a lot to be desired.

[MattFr]

Python is very relevant these days, I would definitely suggest it as it is definitely very multi-discipline. Alternatively, just stick with PHP and master OOP and some of the more advanced design patterns. PHP is used a lot in the real world and once you get out the junior develop pool there can be a lot of money in it.

[Recursion]

Why the hate on ASP.net? :|

Just fyi, there aren't many pros and cons between it and PHP, oh and Apache can be made to work with ASP.net.

[Chippiewill]

Why the hate on ASP.net? :|

Just fyi, there aren't many pros and cons between it and PHP, oh and Apache can be made to work with ASP.net.
I think it's just easier to use PHP, most shared hosting won't have ASP.

I'd say Javascript would best compliment the rest of your skill-set, but really you have free reign on what you choose, it's probably more important to understand the principles behind programming rather than the syntax itself since once you know a few they're all pretty easy to pick up.

[AkiNr]

Well, I started with the easiest first:
VB.NET, C#, Java, C++, Python & JavaScript (came along with HTML/CSS).

It also depends on what kind of development you wan't. Is it software/desktop development or web development. Python, PERL and CURL is good for Web development, where C#, C++, Java and VB.NET is best with desktop development.

Also if it is desktop development, which platform do you wan't to develope for. If Windows only, you could use .NET Framework (C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, etc. etc.) or do you wan't to develope for Linux and Mac OS X too? Problably start on either C++ or look at www.mono-project.com

Hope this helps you on the way.

- AkiNr