tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post115971661893375624..comments2023-10-24T10:09:22.146+01:00Comments on The Yorkshire Ranter: 10 PRINT "BASIC"Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17153530634675543954noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-1159903402921742552006-10-03T20:23:00.000+01:002006-10-03T20:23:00.000+01:00I'd pick Ruby over Python because of a yearning fo...I'd pick Ruby over Python because of a yearning for elegance. Both get the job done well, but Ruby was designed to be elegant and to implement the best ideas from other languages such as Lisp and Smalltalk. As a mathematician manque, this appeals to me. I think it would provide the best starting place. <BR/><BR/>Calling either of these 'scripting languages' really sells them short - yes they are interpreted rather than compiled, but otherwise both are functionally equivalent to a full language.<BR/> <BR/>Start here: <BR/>http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/documentation/<BR/><BR/>C or C++ is what Real Programmers use, but frankly they are more painful than necessary, at least until you need to get really close to the metal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-1159723361471487842006-10-01T18:22:00.000+01:002006-10-01T18:22:00.000+01:00If you want to learn programming languages *now* f...If you want to learn programming languages *now* first ask yourself what you actually want to do with the language - what sorts of problems do you want to solve, etc. Then investigate that particular subject area and pick the language that appears to be most common in that area. Because you want learn without doing - and simple strawman programs will bore you after a while, just be realistic.<BR/><BR/>Or do a survey of various tech blogs and pick a language recommended by a tech blogger who other techies seem to respect. These days most tech bloggers are into OO and Meta-Programming, and that means either Ruby or Python.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-1159719473212412072006-10-01T17:17:00.000+01:002006-10-01T17:17:00.000+01:00What about Ruby or Python?Both are very modern. Bo...What about Ruby or Python?<BR/><BR/>Both are very modern. Both are quite easy for a beginner to learn, and yet both are very powerful with lots of features that make computer science types pleased. Existing code in those languages is very structured and easy to read (for the most part). They both have plenty of support in the form of libraries and tools and so forth, and they can even both be run as an interpreter for that instant feedback like you got when you typed PRINT "HELLO" on your old 8bit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com