What Programming Language To Learn?

[Guest Deleted_Account]

I am trying to continue and educate myself on as many languages as possible so far i know and use the following:

1) Shell (who doesnt :P)

2) HTML

3)Java

4)Javascript

5)C/C++/C#

6)Basic

7)QBasic

8)Visual Basic

9)JustBasic & Liberty Basic

10) ActionScript

11)XHTML

12) XML

13) BATCH (doesnt really count )

14) Assembly

15)CSS

Yeah i guess some of them go together (HTML, CSS, XML) but i put them separately and i am not entirely sure if BATCH really counts any more if ever since it is very limited in todays sense at least.

What i want is to learn something new and i wanted some recommendations since i have heard a lot of good stuff about python and html5. Any suggestions are welcome even ones not listed in the poll

thank you,

x942

EDIT: Just realized i posted in the wrong section can a moderator please move this? sorry about that i though i was in the "everything" thread.

Edited April 4, 2010 by x942

[aeiah]

html and related things are markup languages not programming languages.

its more relevant to learn programming theory and object oriented programming than just learning the syntax of a new language.

if you want to contribute to open source software, ruby and python are probably two useful languages to know

[Alias]

I reckon Python would be better to learn. It's a fantastic language and it's syntax isn't too hard to get a grip on, although you do miss braces and semi-colons ;) Personally I find Ruby a little too much like Python. Visual C++ is just Visual C++, it can be useful but it's still just Visual C++. HTML 5 is awesome but it's still a markup language and not a programming language. BATCH would be closer to programming than HTML 5.

Also you should learn Object Oriented coding but don't adhere to it. Personally I don't find it useful unless you're going to program things that need polymorphism and encapsulation.

[fsck]

its more relevant to learn programming theory and object oriented programming than just learning the syntax of a new language.

I completely agree with this. The syntax of each language is rather easy to pick up on once you have a good foundation in theory.

Time is better spent mastering programming concepts that can be used in any language than mastering syntax differences between C++ and java.

[aeiah]

Also you should learn Object Oriented coding but don't adhere to it. Personally I don't find it useful unless you're going to program things that need polymorphism and encapsulation.

i think its biggest asset in the opensource community is to give you the ability to use other's code and build upon or contribute to existing projects. its true that small utilities and things you do just by yourself rarely need to be object oriented. i suggested ruby because of metasploit. in truth i think python is far more useful

[Guest Deleted_Account]

html and related things are markup languages not programming languages.

its more relevant to learn programming theory and object oriented programming than just learning the syntax of a new language.

if you want to contribute to open source software, ruby and python are probably two useful languages to know

I agree about theory and i am currently studying it (as i am working towards my PHD in comp. sci i should have mentioned that before my bad :P) and yes i realize HTML is a markup language again my bad should have used a more generic title i threw that in because i found it intriguing and couldn't think of a different language. As for python i know a tiny bit just got a peak at it the other day it seems powerful enough.

I completely agree with this. The syntax of each language is rather easy to pick up on once you have a good foundation in theory.

Time is better spent mastering programming concepts that can be used in any language than mastering syntax differences between C++ and java.

Yes i also agree i am hoping to improve my foundation in theory as i progress to my Phd. Theory (although sometimes boring) is essential to any development. The reason i want to learn a new language it because i am fed up with the limitations of VB/ B and C++ i mean game development is not my high on my list. I mean right now I work as an IT Admin and i want to switch to something more hands on (programming) however the available positions want Shell C Assembly and at least one other language :(

[bunsen]

wheres a good place to start learning python if you are a complete noob with no programming experience like me?

[Netshroud]

Python For Dummies. It's what I used, and it's pretty good.

[metatron]

Learn C and HDL.