Carl Parrish wrote:

> Josh Coffman wrote:
>
>> Visual Basic 3,4,5, and 6. .Net v1.0 & v1.1, with Beta
>> of v2.0.
>> A little C++. I mostly stick to C# on .Net cause I
>> hate the VB syntax. I've toyed with Java and am pretty
>> good with javascript.
>> I've used a little mySQL, but really know MS SQL
>> Server in&out (version 6.5 to 2000)
>>
>> I've done windows apps, web apps, and web services,
>> and everything in between. I speak xml xsl, html,
>> http, https, ftp, ssl, ftp/tls, ipc (some), rpc(some),
>> com, dcom, remoting, serialization (binary & xml), and
>> ... I don't really feel like typing everything and
>> don't want to sound bragadocious.
>
> My suggestions would be PHP for Web stuff (the language just gets 
> better and better). Ruby for scripting (its my favorite lang) and Java 
> for everything else. (though both PHP and Ruby are getting to the 
> point where I rarely need to use Java). Since you already know some 
> C++ and C# I wouldn't worry too much about C/C++ (though I a firm 
> believer that *every* programmer should be able to read C code). 
> Python is insanely popular but I don't really like it. I try to stay 
> away from Perl like a disease (I've had several bad experiences with 
> perl though I know quite a few people who do amazing things with it). 
> Since you already know javascript you may want to look into XUL. The 
> best thing to do is volunteer to work on an open source project. 
> It'll  force you to get real about it and you'll have a large support 
> group.


If you're going to learn Ruby, then perhaps Ruby on Rails for web stuff 
would be a better choice. PHP started as a kludged together language. 
It's gone through some major transformations since the early days but 
it's track record for exploits hasn't been very good. Neither have the 
awful "cms" suites written for PHP.

Python or Ruby for scripting are fine. Python might turn you off, but I 
think it's probably a matter of taste (some people *hate* indenting 
consistently, or whatever). Perl, IMHO, is pretty damn quirky, but it's 
all about getting the job done. Perl's problem is that if you don't use 
it a lot and often you just don't feel comfortable doing anything 
substantial.

Personally I stay away from Java. That's mostly a matter of taste as well.

I'd definitely go with C & C++. It's good to get to know the "real" APIs 
before using "wrapped" versions. Some languages offer very, very nice 
high level abstractions on top of the system calls, but you'll make 
better use of them and appreciate them all the more if you know how to 
call them in C.

Josh, looking at your skills, I'd recommend Ruby/Ruby on Rails, C/C++, 
and Postgresql. Nothing in there will throw you for a loop, and those 
together will take you a looong way.

-- 
Darrin Chandler            |  Phoenix BSD Users Group
dwchandler@stilyagin.com   |  http://bsd.phoenix.az.us/
http://www.stilyagin.com/  |

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