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What Programming Language Should you Learn First?

posted by martyb on Friday November 04 2016, @07:09PM   Printer-friendly
from the choose-logically dept.

mendax writes:

We've had this question asked before I believe but it does no harm in asking it again and again. After all, opinions change as does the software ecosystem. Quincy Larson of FreeCodeCamp.com asked this question via Medium: What programming language should you learn first? He thinks JavaScript is the way to go and his arguments are cogent and well thought out. However, I am somewhat hesitant to suggest someone learn to code in JavaScript first. My first programming language (in 1981!) was Fortran on a Control Data mainframe. The interactive environment the OS provided was pretty simple and the language provided few opportunities to hang yourself. JavaScript, by comparison, while it may not have those evil pointers of C/C++, it offers functional features and plenty of rope to hang oneself.

So, opinions please.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 04 2016, @08:27PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 04 2016, @08:27PM (#422608)

    What Programming Language Did you Learn First?

    • RPG II
    • FORTRAN 77
    • COBOL
    • PASCAL
    • BASIC
    • Asm

    But in my defense, our programming school was in a strip mall ... and we had to learn Accounting too. Those were a good 8 months.

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by jimbrooking on Friday November 04 2016, @09:02PM

    by jimbrooking (3465) Subscriber Badge on Friday November 04 2016, @09:02PM (#422626)

    SOAP II and Fortran II on an IBM 650 (1962)! :'D

    • (Score: 3, Touché) by Dr Spin on Friday November 04 2016, @09:17PM

      by Dr Spin (5239) on Friday November 04 2016, @09:17PM (#422630)

      Wot no JCL?

      --
      Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!

      • (Score: 2) by jimbrooking on Sunday November 13 2016, @04:52PM

        by jimbrooking (3465) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 13 2016, @04:52PM (#426272)

        Yes, but later on the System/360 which was announced IIRC in 1963.