Guys, I think that this thread has entered a recurrent discussion on "what's the best programming language". For
Here are other variants of this discussion here on DC [there are probably lots others]:
The Best Introductory LanguageWhat language is the best for a new programmer to start with?Seeking Programming Language To LearnWhat's the Best Scripting Language?My university teaches
Schemew, which I do not recommend, since it's not that useful from a practical point of view. From what I know, most other universities here (in Portugal) start with some managed language, such as Scheme,
Pythonw or
Camlw. However, AFAIK, ALL of them teach C, C++, C# and Java somewhere along the line (some more than others, though).
Personally, I believe it's simpler to start by a managed language; when one starts programming, there are enough troubles even if one doesn't have to deal with memory problems. I believe Python sounds like a very good option, mostly due to its "batteries included" philosophy, which means the language includes constructs for building lots of stuff out of the box, and due to its good interaction with other languages. IIRC, there's also ways to pack the runtime into an executable, so it can also create executables (even though I've never tried it). As someone who has moved from Windows to Mac (don't ask, sad story), I also recognize the fact that it's cross-platform as a big bonus. However, if you intend to do anything that takes lots of calculations (which from what you describe, you don't), C/C++, C# or Java would surely be better options, from my experience (which is not a lot, I'm a newbie at python and my troubles may very well have been created by lack of knowledge, so YMMV
).
Without understanding better what you intend to do, it's a bit hard to actually give you recommendations. If you intend to be working for a third party, then, as db90h has shown, C/C++ is a more widely used language which may improve your chances of being hired; IMO, every professional programmer should know C/C++, it's a basic requirement. On the other hand, if you just want to learn something to play with, I personally wouldn't start with C/C++ since it'll take longer to learn and build stuff, even though it may be more rewarding if you intend to pursue a career in the field.
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