What is best way to learn to programme?

studentphil

I learnt Delphi at university but it is a defunct language now so I would like to move to a new language.

Any suggestions on which language might be best and if learning from self teach books or looking for a course in it might be best?

woo

Don't think Borland would like to hear you say delphi is dead (http://www.borland.com/us/products/delphi/index.html)

Before this thread becomes a Java / .Net slanging match.. what do you want to do with your development skills - hobby or career?

smsmasters

I'd suggest C++, it's a very powerful and universal language.

studentphil

woo wrote:

Don't think Borland would like to hear you say delphi is dead (http://www.borland.com/us/products/delphi/index.html)

Before this thread becomes a Java / .Net slanging match.. what do you want to do with your development skills - hobby or career?

Just for hobby really.

In the sense when I Delphi on my CV no one has ever heard of it it seems.

woo

C++ is a good language.. but not if your aim is to do web development..

the_grey_lantern

I'm a professional Java software developer so I may be a little biased..... ;-)

C# and Java are arguably the most in demand languages today. I've never used C# so I can't really comment on it but I would imagine that it's very similar to Java in many respects. I would also assume difficulty is pretty similar between the two.

I know a little C++ but I prefer Java and think it's a lot easier for beginnners IMHO.

If you are looking at web programming, PHP is great and IMHO a lot easier to get up and running than J2EE (don't know about .NET).

Good luck :-)

woo

might be worth starting with something like VB express then (http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/) as an intro to something new.

I'd like to say Java (as it earns my keep ), but if you don't have an end project in mind difficult to recommend

moneyuser

I would suggest C# and you can get Visual C# Express from Microsoft for free plus tons of reading material to go with it. If you're serious then get a book, I have always found the SAMS Teach Yourself...? series good for starting out.

gl

studentphil

woo wrote:

C++ is a good language.. but not if your aim is to do web development..

Java Script is what seems to be big now for the web.

I just really am only thinking of doing programming as a Hobbiest. I suppose I would never say never to it as a job but not at the moment.

Dead_Eye_Jones

It really depends what you want to do!

Personally I wait until I have a problem, and then look for the best tools to solve it!

For small windows apps I find vb is always good, its easy to get into and is powerful enough to do any app most normal people will look to create, the free version is very MSE too !

For web stuff I use the also free PHP and MySQL combo, MySQL is starting to look a very reasonable db engine for most people's needs and PHP is maturing nicely too. I couldnt comment on pros and cons vs other server side web scripting languages but it certainly meets my needs, is well supported around the net, and was easy to get into.

Even MSE was recruting a php/MySql programmer recently so dont think its for hobbiests only!

Good luck.

studentphil

There are so many langs. it is hard to know which to go for.

What is the best way to get learning them if I can ever pick one? Is it better to self teach or to look for a course in it?