programming (1 Viewer)

[J0n]

I guess C is not the most fun laguage to start learning programming - it can get annoying since it is case sensitive, and is hard to get your code working first time. I started with VB and it is really 'fun'.

 

[~Perfection]

Originally posted by jm1234567890
It is also very frustrating when it doesn't work.
Then after 1/2 of testing you find you typed a "+" as a "-"

oh yeh.. thats pretty damn annoying...
omg, u just reminded me of the bad parts of programming..
thanks...

Originally posted by J0n
I guess C is not the most fun laguage to start learning programming - it can get annoying since it is case sensitive, and is hard to get your code working first time. I started with VB and it is really 'fun'.

i think most people start with VB...?

 

[J0n]

Originally posted by ~Perfection
i think most people start with VB...?

Does anyone know what language they use at uni?

 

[-X-]

Originally posted by ~Perfection

i think most people start with VB...?

Starting with VB doesn't really help. VB IMO hardly teaches you any programming other than the basics which you could pick up with any language. I started with Pascal though.

 

[sunny]

Originally posted by J0n
Does anyone know what language they use at uni?

That would depend on what uni you go to UNSW does Haskell, C, and MIPS assembly in first year computing. And the later years will depend on the courses you do.

You can go far in VB. It doesn't 'teach' alot of concepts because its not taught, just simply used. VB is seen the way it is because alot of beginners start out with it since it gets the most effect with least effort, so people associate crappy programming with VB.

 

[-X-]

Really starting out programming with VB and then going to something else like C or Java will be allot more different and difficult. I know you can go far with VB and if you do than its good. But generally people start out VB make simple applications and think they know all there is to it. They are then in a big shock when moving to other languages such as java or C.

 

[Winston]

Maybe majority of you havent touched VB.NET it really isnt a language for a n00b, its far different and now it incorporates far more new concepts, its a good simple language for a good grounding in programming now

 

[sunny]

I started playing with .net mid last year (?) when I got my hands on a beta. But dunno where it is now

My suggestion is to move on to other languages and paradigms, not only to learn more powerful things, but to get a tad prepared for uni.

 

[Winston]

Originally posted by sunny
I started playing with .net mid last year (?) when I got my hands on a beta. But dunno where it is now

My suggestion is to move on to other languages and paradigms, not only to learn more powerful things, but to get a tad prepared for uni.

I definately will be learning about haskell and java if i make it into comp sci

 

[hurrotisrobbo]

I started off with VB, but... I think I ended up going backwards.

Start with Pascal, I reckon. Then move onto Java, then C/C++...

All in my not-so-humble-opinion, of course.

 

[J0n]

Haskell doesn't seem to be such a popular language - is this just because it is new? What is the reason that they teach it at UNSW? Is it because it is a functional language, to give you experiences with diffent types of languages?

 

[Winston]

Originally posted by J0n
Haskell doesn't seem to be such a popular language - is this just because it is new? What is the reason that they teach it at UNSW? Is it because it is a functional language, to give you experiences with diffent types of languages?

I thought it's a good "Lazy" language.

 

[jm1234567890]

They teach it cause nobody has heard of it b4 the Expo day, lol

 

[sammeh]

hmm i like VB its an extremely powerful language considering its ease of use. same goes for C and Java which are only hard in that they require huge attention to detail. if you're just picking up a language of any sort, just take it slow and steady, dont rush, and you wont make mistakes. i taught myself syntax/form of C++ from the editor to the game neverwinter nights and a little bit of java work. pretty sad, but hey, i was dead bored.

but if you want to look at a REALLY powerful language, look at lisp and its up-coming off-shoot arc. pretty exciting stuff, considering its such an old language, anyway. try http://www.paulgraham.com as a starting point, he wrote a book on it and published on the site in pdf form.

anyway, in refernce to the initial post, i love programming cos when it works its extremely rewarding. but it's also a bitch when u get errors u have no idea even existed. but really, all that this means is that in programming you have to be constantly learning, both to remain competitive and to be able to program. altho, i wouldnt go so far as to say im good at programming tho

 

[Enlightened_One]

I don't know anything about C, but I'm beginning to understand the basics of visual Basic. I can nearly read it through and pick up mistake,s or write some of it straight out.
It's like a new langauge, and I suppose learning C is similiar

 

[-X-]

Originally posted by sammeh
but if you want to look at a REALLY powerful language, look at lisp and its up-coming off-shoot arc. pretty exciting stuff, considering its such an old language

I heard good stuff about LISP too. Wouldn't mind learning that later on. Currently im more intereseted in C++ and x86 assembly though.

 

[tactic]

Originally posted by hurrotisrobbo


I prefer scripting languages nowadays, but I really should learn some C some day.

thats what DSPP is for

 

[sunny]

Originally posted by J0n
Haskell doesn't seem to be such a popular language - is this just because it is new? What is the reason that they teach it at UNSW? Is it because it is a functional language, to give you experiences with diffent types of languages?

Haskell isn't really new, its been around since 1990 and the idea was to create a functional language with features collected from other functional languages.

Not only will you have a chance to experience a different paradigm, it also puts programmers and non-programmers on even ground during that course.

But if you ask me, I think they do it to teach concepts.

 

[Agent Z]

Yeah its a pain to actually learn it...but when you do and your program actually does work thats awesome

 

[Agent Z]

And well no,l i think VB is a good language to start off with because it teaches you the basics of basically every programming language and once you've learnt that you can expand into different areas..


Web Programming such as php or cgi programming seem to be in big demand nowadays, but then I guess it all depends what you want to do when you start working. Obviously it would be fruitless for you ot learn C++ when your going to be going into Web programming. Well I guess not pointless, but it would make more sense if you learnt in more depth a language that is specialised for web that you could integrate into your work.

I used to know VB pretty well but just got lazy and mostly forgot it all. What I want to do is re-learn VB in the holidays then move on to php and then possibly C++.