Programming Language for Learning

[Michael Havens]

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 <kfries6 at gmail.com> 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
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-- 
:-)~MIKE~(-:
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