you guys are great! keep it up. I'm leaning towards Ruby but am still open. On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 9:43 AM, Kevin Fries wrote: > I have developed in allot of languages, and when the original question was > asked about language I suggested Ruby. But I think there was a little > confusion about that. > > Ruby and Rails (i.e. RoR) are two completely different things. Rails is a > web application framework. What this means is that it is used to build > applications, not websites, that use the web for interaction with the user > the way a C program would use X. What I suggested the OP learn if they > wanted to learn to program with a modern language is Ruby... Not rails. > > Ruby has all the basics, and holds on to OO principles better than any > other language... Even Java. It also has IRB an interactive environment > where a programmer can play in a live session and see immediate cause and > effect. Plus, there are a plethora of books and websites on writing Ruby > programs. > > Why not Python? It also has the interactive shell doesn't it? Well yes it > does, but it has many security issues, and does not properly follow OO > principles. While learning, you should learn in an environment that > enforces proper form, Python does not do that because the language is > missing too many elements. I would put Mono and Visual Basic in this same > category. > > Why not Java? It follows proper OO principles doesn't it? Why yes it > does. But there is no learning environment like Python and Ruby. > > Why not a procedural language like C or Perl? Too many modern environments > use OO for interactive programs. Servers are a different story, but > learning to program by learning to write servers is like teaching your 16 > year old to drive in an 18 wheeler. They will learn allot more, but not the > easiest path to the desired goal. > > And finally, well if C is the wholly grail, but you want it OO, why not > C++? If you ever used C++, like I have, you would not ask that question. > > Far too often people confuse learning with practicality. Some languages > are good at some things, some are good at others. The OP asked for a > language that he could learn how to program and there were allot of fandom > posturing, over this language or that. What got lost in much of the > conversation is that this is not about what language is good gor task x or > task y, but instead what language will help the OP learn to program with a > modern language. > > I hope this clearifies my previous comments. > > Kevin > > Sent from my Nokia phone > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > -- :-)~MIKE~(-: