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unix · Dec 17, 2007, 05:43 AM

i have been programming java for while now (about 3 years) and ive been wanting to learn another language, and i just wanna 'C' (lol thats not a pun, k it was but a dumb one) if neone has any suggestions where i should start? i was thinking C++ but i duno if i should learn C first? C# seems to be the same thing as java neways.... so yeah feed back please =) thnx!!

smitty825 · Dec 17, 2007, 06:45 AM

You need to give us some hints about why you want to learn another language other than Java. If it is because you want to do Cocoa programming on the Mac, then Obj-C (and regular C) would be your best bet. If you want to learn a language that lets you get things done quickly, then something like Python or Ruby would be recommended. Right now, C++ seems like a good language to know in general, as I would guess it is the most popular language in the industry (well, at least my industry :-) )

Regardless, there are tons of computer programming languages that have been created, and each one has their own benefits and drawbacks. So it's helpful to know what you're trying to accomplish before something is recommended to you.

Chuckit · Dec 17, 2007, 11:33 AM

Lisp is always interesting, if not especially practical.

unix · Dec 17, 2007, 06:42 PM

well im studying computer science in university right now, so im hoping a language that used often in the industry, so either C or C++ i guess =)

Chuckit · Dec 17, 2007, 06:56 PM

C is an extremely good language to learn. It still touches almost every program in existence (either because the program is partly written in it or because the language the program is written in is itself made with C).

unix · Dec 17, 2007, 07:19 PM

cool, sounds like i'll be picking up a copy of C programming soon =D thx just another quick question wuts the difference b/w C and C++ ?

besson3c · Dec 17, 2007, 09:18 PM

I think C++ is a bunch of stuff added on top of C. There are people that think that C++ is an ugly hack (including Linus Torvalds, I believe), so you'll probably find a lot of differing opinions on the matter.

besson3c · Dec 17, 2007, 09:51 PM

I think C++ is a bunch of stuff added on top of C. There are people that think that C++ is an ugly hack (including Linus Torvalds, I believe), so you'll probably find a lot of differing opinions on the matter.

Chuckit · Dec 17, 2007, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by unix

cool, sounds like i'll be picking up a copy of C programming soon =D thx just another quick question wuts the difference b/w C and C++ ?

C++ is about a billion times more complex. Knowing C will give you a good foundation for C++ anyway, so if you want to learn that later, learning C first is still a good move.

eyadams · Dec 20, 2007, 12:46 PM

From a "it'll make you a better programmer" point of view, C and C++ are definitely good choices.

However, I would like to offer another suggestion, from the "it'll help you get a job" point of view. Learn C-Sharp or (shudder) Visual Basic.NET. There are lots and lots of .NET jobs out there, and knowing one of the main languages for it will help you, career-wise.

Chuckit · 01:41 PM

C#/.NET are definitely "in" right now, but I still think it will be more beneficial in the long run to know C. Then again, C# and Java are practically the same thing, so you could learn C# and still have lots of time left over to learn C.

besson3c · Dec 20, 2007, 01:34 PM

I really don't like the idea of learning a language that is restricted to a particular platform personally. I guess you can run .NET stuff on a Mac, but this doesn't seem to be a terribly common thing to do. Chuckit's suggestions sound good to me, and of course it is important to take into account that once you have mastered the basics of OO programing and have a beat on programming good code in any language, it is not going to be as tough to pick up a new language.

phoenix78 · Dec 22, 2007, 03:35 AM

If studyig CS at university then its best to master the language that you will be using in your course. dont waste time learning stuff you wont be using. I did electrical eng and comp sci at uni and i never had the time to play with other stuff that i wasnt going to use in my course. Just follow your course content and make sure you get good grades.

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As was mentioned above i whole heartedly agree that learning the concepts is what is most important. the concepts will be transferable to any language you use.