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Survey Results

What would you recommend someone learn as their first programming language?

Survey period: 12 Jul 2015 to 26 Jul 2015

Let's assume you like the person and wish them no harm.

OptionVotes% 
C47620.05
C++28011.79
C#73931.13
Java2128.93
Javascript1496.28
Objective-C or Swift100.42
Pascal / Modula / Delphi883.71
PHP522.19
VB / VB.NET2018.47
Something else1677.03



 
GeneralRe: C is the test Pin
Slacker00727-Jul-15 1:23
professionalSlacker00727-Jul-15 1:23 
GeneralMinecraft mods Pin
PIEBALDconsult12-Jul-15 19:38
mvePIEBALDconsult12-Jul-15 19:38 
GeneralI would say assembly as it teaches you how these machines work PinPopular
Ron Anders12-Jul-15 18:19
Ron Anders12-Jul-15 18:19 
GeneralRe: I would say assembly as it teaches you how these machines work Pin
Mohibur Rashid12-Jul-15 19:36
professionalMohibur Rashid12-Jul-15 19:36 
GeneralRe: I would say assembly as it teaches you how these machines work Pin
joje198512-Jul-15 19:48
joje198512-Jul-15 19:48 
GeneralRe: I would say assembly as it teaches you how these machines work Pin
Ron Anders13-Jul-15 2:38
Ron Anders13-Jul-15 2:38 
GeneralC everytime PinPopular
CS201112-Jul-15 16:40
professionalCS201112-Jul-15 16:40 
GeneralDepends... Pin
Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan12-Jul-15 16:39
professionalAfzaal Ahmad Zeeshan12-Jul-15 16:39 
When I started programming, C# was the language I began programming in. A lot of great features, compact structure of the program, elegant style and Visual Studio made things even great.

But as I kept on learning new things, I found that C# is a managed language*. You cannot work around with memory-management, unless you compile the program with unsafe context and many other similar things. For a beginner, language structure, design or solutions must not matter. For a new programmer, language that must provide him with functions that let him understand how a program works, should be a must. C++ is a great language, I had been a C fan for a great time, I have been working around for C, trying to convince people to use C instead of C++. But, there are some things that C doesn't support either. This era doesn't need much of those machine language scientists, but programmers with enough understanding of how to write, "Memory efficient programs" or "What might cost me a lot of CPU cycles".

In such cases it is better to learn C++, and then migrate to C# or Java. Most of the applications require you to build UI, think of your OS's settings application that requires you to enter commands to navigate through different portions. Laugh | :laugh:

Objective-C or Swift, only and only if after 5 years you are going to remain in Apple business. Also, remember, PHP is not a programming language, instead just a scripting language used to create dynamic web page. It is written on top of C and is not a very much efficient language, most web developers still use it but trust me, you can write your own CGI and other scripts that can act as a scripting language for web. I would recommend ASP.NET. Remember: ASP.NET is also available on Ubuntu, Mac or other platforms is using PHP was a reason for staying on non-Windows OS. Wink | ;)

In the end, C++ is my recommendation. It is both, low-level (streams, memory-management etc.) and provides a lot of support for writing product drivers, high-level (Object-oriented programming, operator overloading etc.) so that you don't have to worry about writing your own modules. You can get it all build in including generic programming.


*Term "managed" is coined by Microsoft, for a language that runs under CLR.

The sh*t I complain about
It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem
~! Firewall !~

GeneralGet ready for the war Pin
Mohibur Rashid12-Jul-15 16:01
professionalMohibur Rashid12-Jul-15 16:01 

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