Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

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

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
What Programming Language Should you Learn First? | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 114 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 1) by anotherblackhat on Friday November 04 2016, @09:26PM

    by anotherblackhat (4722) on Friday November 04 2016, @09:26PM (#422633)

    People tend to fall in love with their first, and then refuse to accept anything different.
    The first language you learn should be horrible, like BASIC or APL.
    Thus, when exposed to something more reasonable, you will appreciate rather than denigrate it.