Starting Language

[Dark Assassin]

I know there are a few other threads like this, but none of them seem to tell me specifically what i need...

i just need to know what language i should start with. what would be the fastest to learn, and still have applications in other languages? also, what compilers should i get (preferrably red hat packages, but windows works too)?
i tried learning c++ with MSVC++, but i got lost along the way... any good books i should get?

thanks!

 

[Starr]

Well, you can try Python. www.python.org. You can also try C. I am learning C++ now. I finished the book "C++ Demystified" it was pretty good. Now I am reading a book on the object-oriented side of C++. Visual Basic is also easy to learn.

For books I would go to Amazon.com and read reviews. Or ask a friend or someone you know who is into programming and ask them for suggestions.

Go to labs.msdn.microsoft.com for C++, Visual Basic, and other language compilers. www.python.org has a python compiler.

 

[Dark Assassin]

thanks, i'll try that... sounds good...

 

[Cx]

Just reading a book to learn a langauge isn't the best way to go. Experiance is good, sharing code with other programmers is good too. If you can, you could find other people's code online and make it better. Sure reading the book will help you understand the basics, but if you never apply what you know it'll never help you.

http://cplusplus.com (for a tutorial)
http://rafb.net/paste/results.html (for people's code)

A book I currently own is C++ How To Program Third edition by Deitel & Deitel I think they have a 4th edition out though.

 

[Dark Assassin]

i kind of figured that much...thanks for the link...

but you recommend C++?

 

[Syn7ax 3rror]

Yea i would also go C++, everything else is useless in my mind besides the C's, because everything else you don't have as much variety.

 

[Dark Assassin]

i got one of the Sams books for C++ and i started reading it, but i remember seeing on gamedev.net that those books are practically worthless...

would it still be a good idea to start out with it?

 

[UK31337]

I'm a GameDev user.

Most of the people on there wallow in their own abilities and refuse to see other ways of doing things. Ignore them; they're mostly a***holes, especially those with higher ratings.

That said, I've got SAMS Teach Yourself C++ in 24 hours, and I'm not too convinced actually.

 

[Dark Assassin]

well, their ways seem to work...that's why i never got one of those books until now...


i have the TYVC++6 in 21 Days...it's probably the same thing...

thanks

 

[ROSEBLOOD]

The best advice I can give is to take a class at a local community college. I'm taking a Java class currently. I LOVE IT!! I tried to learn Java on my own but couldnt really grasp it. After I started the class my knowledge of Java has skyrocketed. I would recommend finding a class and learning it from there.

~Andrew