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Softdev: What programming language?

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Ashurbanipal:
My class learned Python. I recommend any beginning programmer to start with Python because it's easy to learn. I learned C# for my major project.

truman999999999:
My class ain't gonna use these, but some good ones that I'm learning/would learn if I get time are Pascal (have actually started learning), Java with JavaFX (am quite experienced already), Lisp (very interesting feature set) and C++ (only done a tiny bit, but extremely interesting). Guys, if you get the choice, don't choose some outdated and completely obsolete language like VB. Its what I have to learn and there are much better and newer languages to choose from! Pascal's old, but its still used everywhere and has several extremely desirable qualities (VB has a few too, but its downsides are too much of downers).

Aaron:
Love the ideas truman, and while they would satisfy the requirements of SD... I feel that both Java and C++ are significantly challenging to the average student. As somebody who has done a degree in the discipline and teaching experience, i'd definitely say something like Python is a fairly straight forward choice. I would even go as far as to challenge VB as an 'ideal' language for SD given the crappy syntax... it's not exactly user-friendly.

Obviously the idea of a course is to cover an appropriate amount of content (and get through it), as well as ensuring that success is achievable and I feel the learning curve from potentially no understanding at all to that of JavaFX/Java in general (e.g.) is quite significant.

Kudos for your understanding of other foreign languages e.g. Lisp. Not many school students can identify a language used for AI, such as that. Well done :)

anon101:

--- Quote from: Aaron on November 18, 2018, 08:58:35 pm ---I feel that both Java and C++ are significantly challenging to the average student.

--- End quote ---
Yeah, C++ is too tricky for your average student, but why would you say Java's too tough?
Here's my thought process here:

* It has garbage collection and all that stuff to save from the usual errors.
* Excludes other "tricky" concepts like delegates which languages like C# have.
* Has a more than half decent user base, which is likely far larger than VB's.
* Lastly, I just think that the syntax is ultimately not going to dramatically change a person's ability to learn a language. It may be 50% tougher to start off learning a C like syntax at first, but the more you learn, the easier it gets.
Plus, there are SO MANY languages which are going to look nearly exactly the same (especially C# after Java!) after that (so concepts > syntax).

But yeah, Python is pretty amazing for a first time learning!!!

4See:
Hi all,
I've signed up for Software Development next year. Our class would be learning PhP but I feel like that language is kinda 'outdated' and not as popular, especially since I want to go into Algorithmics in year 12 (doing Software Dev as a year 11 next year) and they use Python. Unfortunately I won't be able to learn python as it does not meet the program prereqs. Are there any mainstream languages that people would recommend learning? C#, C++, Java, etc.
Cheers

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