Can someone give me the 411, on programming?

Question

I want to learn programming in the next year. So can you guys explain to me the simplest programming software to get started on. I have dealt with C++ and Pascal before ,but I have totally forgotten how to use them. Thanks guys.

Answer 1

You might be able to learn a programming language in a year, but please don't get your hopes up too high, because learning to program is more than learning a language.

It would be like if you learned math, then thought you were an accountant or book keeper.  Accounting and book keeping is more than just the math.

Likewise, learning programming is more than just learning a language.  For instance, you may learn how to loop through a sequence of instructions x number of times, but would that help you if you needed to sort a bunch of names?  Do you even know how many different types of sorting algorithms there are?

So, yes - you need to learn the syntax for the language so you can loop through the names, but you also need to know the different sorting algorithms and which one would be best for your particular situation, and then how to implement the algorithm.

You also need to be able to take a problem and break it down into simpler steps (this is usually done with a flow chart and/or some "pseudo code".  These things are NOT learned just by learning a programming language.  This is where the programming actually begins, AFTER you learn the language.  (Kind of like learning how to drive, but then not knowing where anything is.)

I wish you all the best of luck in your programming endeavors, but please don't think you can learn to "program" in a year.

Answer 2

Depends on what you want to accomplish:

In general, Java tends to be easier than C++ because you don't have to manipulate pointers directly and deal with memory allocation (though if you do create a memory leak in Java (and it's possible) the garbage collection scheme can make it very hard to find and fix).

I wouldn't bother with C -- if you are going to start from scratch, start with an Object Oriented language.

I am told C# is very nice, but it's .Net specific I believe (never used it)

If you want to build website, PHP is probably the way to go

Perl is also a powerful language, but I find it confusing in several aspects, so probably not the best choice until you learn the basics in another language.

Answer 3

There is nothing "simple" about programming. There is no "simplest" language, either, because they all differ in some fundamental way. I cut my teeth on COBOL, which was "easy" because the statements were very English-language like, and the code was written in a procedural manner (one command followed another, and each command had to finish before moving on).

nearly all programming today is done with function-based and object-oriented languages. Tasks are divided up and performed when needed, and can be running synchronously. Resources are frequently created using objects and classes, which requires a logical mindset that can envision things in a "virtual" manner.

You can certainly learn to program in one language in one year, but it takes years of experience to be proficient. I've been using PHP and Perl in web development for years, and I still have to keep the reference manuals nearby (or linked in a bookmark) when I need help.

if you want to do application programming, start with C. When you feel comfortable with that, move to C++ or Java to get the object oriented stuff down.

If you want to work with a scripting language instead, have a look at PHP.