I am going to learn what I'd call a 'proper' (I've been on html/css for years, learning xslt now too) programming language and I'm faced with a massive choice of different confusing stuff to choose from!
I've narrowed it down to c++ (because I have a book on that already!), c# (I am planning on sticking with umbraco for now so would be useful) or python (beginner language?). The web suggests python would be a good starting point but wouldn't learning c++ be an excellent starting point as it seems so much more widespread (but complex!), and unforgiving with mistakes, but learning accuracy is a good thing isn't it? What job requires a lack of accuracy?
Plus, then you get compilers/interpreters/object orientated/procedural etc etc... plus frameworks, wtf? I understand what an interpreter is and kind of what compiling is. I am no computer science degree graduate and I'm baffled, but determined to learn what it all means. (I also don't have the means or time to go and do a computer science degree either). I could do with a few (SIMPLE) pointers though without it turning into a pointless 'which language is best' argument. Just if anyone has any real, unbiased reasons for learning any of the above, that would be great. Even some stories of how you guys started programming or how you got into it, what you learned first etc.
I know this isn't totally to do with umbraco (well, c# would be...) but this forum has been very good to me with getting straight answers, not 14 year old kid immature answers like you get at many forums.
Thanks in advance,
Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Hope you all have a great one!! :)) :))
I would for sure go for C#. No doubt about that. Actually I'm also just in the learning process when it comes to C#. I'm a frontend developer, but I wanted to learn some more heavy programming. And I had no doubt when I had had to choose - I choose C#.
And a merry Christmas to you and your family too Sam!
Its a lot like asking which spoken language to learn... English, French, Spanish, Chinese, etc?
As an English-man, we English are pretty lazy with languages - unless you absolutely want to learn an entire language, then you end up only learning parts of other languages that you need. So I go on holiday to Spain, I learn the basics - "Thank you", "Please", "Can I have 2 beers?", etc.
With most languages, the syntax is similar - verbs, nouns, etc. So once you understand how to structure a sentence - with confidence - it gets much easier. For example, with programming, once you've got the concept for IF/ELSE conditions and FOR/WHILE loops, most programming languages are easy to pick up.
My point is, start off with whatever language you need to - if you're using ASP.NET/Umbraco, then go with C# (for .NET controls/macros) - if you know JavaScript - it follows a similar syntax; e.g. semi-colons / curly-braces.
Best advice is to play with code... everything else you'll learn as you go along.
Which programming language
Hi everyone,
I am going to learn what I'd call a 'proper' (I've been on html/css for years, learning xslt now too) programming language and I'm faced with a massive choice of different confusing stuff to choose from!
I've narrowed it down to c++ (because I have a book on that already!), c# (I am planning on sticking with umbraco for now so would be useful) or python (beginner language?). The web suggests python would be a good starting point but wouldn't learning c++ be an excellent starting point as it seems so much more widespread (but complex!), and unforgiving with mistakes, but learning accuracy is a good thing isn't it? What job requires a lack of accuracy?
Plus, then you get compilers/interpreters/object orientated/procedural etc etc... plus frameworks, wtf? I understand what an interpreter is and kind of what compiling is. I am no computer science degree graduate and I'm baffled, but determined to learn what it all means. (I also don't have the means or time to go and do a computer science degree either). I could do with a few (SIMPLE) pointers though without it turning into a pointless 'which language is best' argument. Just if anyone has any real, unbiased reasons for learning any of the above, that would be great. Even some stories of how you guys started programming or how you got into it, what you learned first etc.
I know this isn't totally to do with umbraco (well, c# would be...) but this forum has been very good to me with getting straight answers, not 14 year old kid immature answers like you get at many forums.
Thanks in advance,
Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Hope you all have a great one!! :)) :))
Sam.
For webdevelopment I would suggest for 100% C#
Agreed. I learned C++ in 1998 and haven't touched it since.
-C
I would for sure go for C#. No doubt about that. Actually I'm also just in the learning process when it comes to C#. I'm a frontend developer, but I wanted to learn some more heavy programming. And I had no doubt when I had had to choose - I choose C#.
And a merry Christmas to you and your family too Sam!
/Kim A
Thanks everyone :)
I'll give c# a go, I plan to stay in web design and development using umbraco so it seems like a good choice.
Sam.
C# for .NET components, Ruby for UI components and JavaScript for client-side components.
At least, that's my stack for doing Umbraco development, I tend to use Ruby and JavaScript for more than just that though ;)
Its a lot like asking which spoken language to learn... English, French, Spanish, Chinese, etc?
As an English-man, we English are pretty lazy with languages - unless you absolutely want to learn an entire language, then you end up only learning parts of other languages that you need. So I go on holiday to Spain, I learn the basics - "Thank you", "Please", "Can I have 2 beers?", etc.
With most languages, the syntax is similar - verbs, nouns, etc. So once you understand how to structure a sentence - with confidence - it gets much easier. For example, with programming, once you've got the concept for IF/ELSE conditions and FOR/WHILE loops, most programming languages are easy to pick up.
My point is, start off with whatever language you need to - if you're using ASP.NET/Umbraco, then go with C# (for .NET controls/macros) - if you know JavaScript - it follows a similar syntax; e.g. semi-colons / curly-braces.
Best advice is to play with code... everything else you'll learn as you go along.
Cheers, Lee.
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