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Survey Results

What is the best starting language for a new developer?   [Edit]

Survey period: 7 Apr 2008 to 14 Apr 2008

Some developers start with scripting and move to high level languages, while other start with ASM and continue from there. What do you think is best way to start? (Suggested by Christiaan Rakowski)

OptionVotes% 
Assembler (any flavour)512.43
C30614.59
C++28713.68
C# / Java69633.17
Lisp150.71
Pascal / Modula / Delphi1266.01
Python361.72
VBScript241.14
Visual Basic26912.82
The first language will depend on what area the developer will want to work24111.49

View optional text answers (93 answers)


 
GeneralC# vs. C++ Pin
The Cake of Deceit13-Apr-08 7:51
The Cake of Deceit13-Apr-08 7:51 
GeneralCredit Card Transcactions Pin
jamesmani2k511-Apr-08 20:28
jamesmani2k511-Apr-08 20:28 
GeneralRe: Credit Card Transcactions Pin
NormDroid12-Apr-08 1:52
professionalNormDroid12-Apr-08 1:52 
GeneralRe: Credit Card Transcactions Pin
Enquiren13-Apr-08 10:01
Enquiren13-Apr-08 10:01 
GeneralRe: Credit Card Transcactions Pin
Paul Conrad12-Apr-08 9:31
professionalPaul Conrad12-Apr-08 9:31 
GeneralWhat is the difference between these languages ? Pin
Madhu Kampurath11-Apr-08 17:28
Madhu Kampurath11-Apr-08 17:28 
QuestionRe: What is the difference between these languages ? Pin
Danila Korablin12-Apr-08 19:53
Danila Korablin12-Apr-08 19:53 
GeneralRe: What is the difference between these languages ? Pin
Petr Prikryl15-Apr-08 0:47
Petr Prikryl15-Apr-08 0:47 
GeneralLanguage is not as important as age. Pin
snorkie11-Apr-08 9:39
professionalsnorkie11-Apr-08 9:39 
GeneralLearning with Pascal Pin
AmauriRodrigues11-Apr-08 8:45
AmauriRodrigues11-Apr-08 8:45 
GeneralRe: Learning with Pascal Pin
AspDotNetDvlpr11-Apr-08 9:02
AspDotNetDvlpr11-Apr-08 9:02 
GeneralRe: Learning with Pascal Pin
Ed.Poore12-Apr-08 13:02
Ed.Poore12-Apr-08 13:02 
GeneralRe: Learning with Pascal Pin
AmauriRodrigues12-Apr-08 13:41
AmauriRodrigues12-Apr-08 13:41 
GeneralMaybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
bwilhite11-Apr-08 5:58
bwilhite11-Apr-08 5:58 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9611-Apr-08 7:50
Member 9611-Apr-08 7:50 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
bwilhite11-Apr-08 8:05
bwilhite11-Apr-08 8:05 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9611-Apr-08 9:44
Member 9611-Apr-08 9:44 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Shog912-Apr-08 5:57
sitebuilderShog912-Apr-08 5:57 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9612-Apr-08 6:47
Member 9612-Apr-08 6:47 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Shog912-Apr-08 7:29
sitebuilderShog912-Apr-08 7:29 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9612-Apr-08 7:48
Member 9612-Apr-08 7:48 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:43
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:43 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
cp987612-Apr-08 18:09
cp987612-Apr-08 18:09 
John C wrote:
When I was starting out I couldn't learn enough esoterica.


In my experience this is a typical, and healthy, response of an enquiring mind.


John C wrote:
But I still maintain that if the question is how to start out programming as a complete raw beginner who has zero programming knowledge but just want's to dabble in it then the most forgiving platform possible is the way to go because they are just kindling an interest not trying to get a job at the beginning.


You said it better in your earlier post - the combination of the first language and first project should ignite that spark that 'this is fun' and 'I can really do stuff with this'. I started with a basic interpreter - it was great fun! Unfortunately too many courses take the view that there is a correct way and it has to be done this way from the start. In my experience this often stifles creativity.


John C wrote:
As a results oriented person who also makes business software in .net I would be perfectly happy hiring someone to program for me who had only c# experience and no knowledge of C or how a CPU works etc. I'm not running an university, I'm running a business and if they are a crackerjack c# developer that understands the importance of results then that's all good. What I do *NOT* want is some C guy who insists on wasting hours in optimizing stuff that doesn't need it or arguing about how some minor unimportant part of the app should be coded unecessarily etc which is the impression I get from the ivory tower types here sometimes.


Think of how much you have learnt on the job, and how much the 'esoterica' you learnt is used to put what you do in context (for example giving you an appreciation for what is going on under the hood of .NET). If you hire a new graduate, s/he may be full of esoterica and also have to learn a similar amount on the job. If the university was to simply train C# programmers, how are they going to cope in 10 years time when more esoteric concepts emerge and .NET looks like the stoneage? The esoterica that they learnt may not be relevant, but they hoopefully it will have given the confidence to attack and learn new paradigms, not just the popular one at the time they left uni.

Peter
"Until the invention of the computer, the machine gun was the device that enabled humans to make the most mistakes in the smallest amount of time."

Generalc# ;) Pin
pmartike11-Apr-08 2:25
pmartike11-Apr-08 2:25 
GeneralRe: c# ;) Pin
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:57
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:57 

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