19 replies to this topic

[Skill_Caster]

Hey fellow coders... over the years I've self-taught myself many languages of code, and I'd like to consider myself very skilled. However, my problem is, I only know web and engine-based languages - ex. php, Javascript, and random engine-specific codes. That's great if I want to build a sweet website, or mod a custom gun into a game - but I want to do more.

What I'd like to do is learn a 'program' programming code (C++/Python/Java) so that I can design and develop personal projects that run on systems... not web browsers or with-in other programs. I want to be able to make personal chat clients, widgets, games, and so on. I'm assuming most of you have already grasped what I'm asking, because I've read up on the 'What are your current projects?' thread in this subforum.

So, what do I do? I know a bit about the aforementioned codes but I don't know which one(s) I should learn... my friend recommends Python, but that has to run through an interpreter all the time, doesn't it? - So I wouldn't be able to compile my projects and distrubte them to friends (or so I think).

Thanks for your help and time in advance,
- Skilly

[Mastermosley]

Hey fellow coders... over the years I've self-taught myself many languages of code, and I'd like to consider myself very skilled. However, my problem is, I only know web and engine-based languages - ex. php, Javascript, and random engine-specific codes. That's great if I want to build a sweet website, or mod a custom gun into a game - but I want to do more.

What I'd like to do is learn a 'program' programming code (C++/Python/Java) so that I can design and develop personal projects that run on systems... not web browsers or with-in other programs. I want to be able to make personal chat clients, widgets, games, and so on. I'm assuming most of you have already grasped what I'm asking, because I've read up on the 'What are your current projects?' thread in this subforum.

So, what do I do? I know a bit about the aforementioned codes but I don't know which one(s) I should learn... my friend recommends Python, but that has to run through an interpreter all the time, doesn't it? - So I wouldn't be able to compile my projects and distrubte them to friends (or so I think).

Thanks for your help and time in advance,
- Skilly

If you want to learn a programming language that can be utilized on multiple platforms I would suggest C++ because it seems it will never go away and every platform supports it. There is tons of documentations and ebooks avaialble to teach you how and with you knowledge of php and javascript the syntax's are very similiar. Microsoft Visual Studio is by far the best IDE to work with in my opinion. C++ is very complex and will require modivations. Now my personal favorite C# is an awesome language if you want to program for Windows. (Also MONO is available which allows you to run C# programs on other platforms). Its similiar to c++ but much easier to understand. C# is a very powerfull language and you can do just about anything in it as well. Visual Studio Website

[The Runar]

C++ is what I use. It's quite hard, and I'm not very good yet, but I can do basic stuff and some more complex things too. The only drawback is that I use Linux, and if I want to share anything with my friends, I need to recompile the programs on Windows.

Java is good if you want your programs to work on all operating systems easily. I don't know much about Java, but I've heard that it's easier than C++. Someone else can probably tell you about it

Python isn't good for "real" programming in my opinion, but I sometimes use it for scripts. It can be used for larger programs, but as it requires the interpreter, Python programs are harder to share. Python is very easy to learn though.

[Smapla]

I was in a similar situation to you, and started taking cs classes in java, and found it pretty easy to pick up. Now I'm trying to learn c++. It's quite a bit harder and I think it'd be even more so if I hadn't learned some java already. So ideally i think that java would be a good place to start at, especially since you can integrate java applets into web pages which sort of enhances your web based programming arsenal, and it'd prepare you for harder programming languages such as c++.

[sees_all1]

Java is a pretty good language. If you decide to use it, I'd suggest you stick with notepad or gedit and the command line until you get the hang of it. When you get done with the easy, basic stuff, and want to move on to GUIs I recommend you download netbeans (not before then, banging your head against the wall makes the experience stick).

[ssjim826]

Java is a pretty good language. If you decide to use it, I'd suggest you stick with notepad or gedit and the command line until you get the hang of it. When you get done with the easy, basic stuff, and want to move on to GUIs I recommend you download netbeans (not before then, banging your head against the wall makes the experience stick).

java is a good language. But i agree with sees_all1 . dont download the GUI till you understand it. Ive learned that the hard way lmao. I program with C++, and java. I looked into python but i was like ...ehh nah.

[Vulxai]

I started learning C++ on my own mostly my junior year of high school, and with the help of my computer teacher, I ended up getting second at a statewide programming competition, and helped organize an actual C++ class at the school, but now in College, we're taught C. I think with your coding background, C++ won't be too difficult, as most of the basic principles are still there, and it's mostly syntax you have to learn. You can try using DevC++. I think Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express is free (at least it was when I got it), and pretty good to get the basics down. I started off with www.cplusplus.com, decent tutorials to help get you started.

[GottaGetDownOnfriday]

I use code::blocks as a c++ ide. I need to build my own IDE.

[Crossed_Body]

Java/C++

[Markup]

C/C++ , Python, assembly, Java

[Crossed_Body]

C/C++ , Python, assembly, Java

Assembly

[knight10071]

I'd like to share some of my experiences.

I started with Visual Basic, which was pretty good for me. Made a lot of small projects with it and making buttons etc. is really easy with it.

Then I learned Python though this: (http://ocw.mit.edu/c...-2008/index.htm Video lectures + exercises)
Python has a ton of libraries for practically anything you can think of, from writing excels to reading xml files. If the friends you want to give the programs to have knowledge of programming, you'll prolly want to give them the source code anyway, so they can just download Python, it's not like it's big or anything. If you just want to show them stuff, http://www.portablepython.com/ .

I have a little experience with C++ and the main difference between C++/Java and Python is development time vs time/resources used for running. If you have finally finished a C++/Java project, you compile and you can just run it whenever you want to. If you want to do projects in Python, you can easiliy write a bit of code, but it needs to be interpreted when you run it, which can cause slow down.

[Sbrideau]

I've written programs in quite a few languages, but currently I'm going for my Java Cert.

[Markup]

C/C++ , Python, assembly, Java

Assembly

Required for reversing and similar and is actually really interesting

[Veiva]

C/C++ , Python, assembly, Java

Assembly

Is there something wrong with assembly? I've dabbled in 6502, x86, PPC, and ARM assembly at some points. On top of that I had at one pointed created my own assembly language for a virtual processor.

Unless you mean it's not the nicest thing to program in, then I concur. At least it's better than Visual Basic (not Visual Basic .NET) haha

[punk_]

Perl and Bash are my ideal languages.

[PaoZ]

I recommend Java coz It can be use for web development and program on client.

[Orpheus]

Notably, C++ is apparently really freaking hard to learn. Once you do learn it though, other languages almost become trivial by comparison.

Java is also a good starter language if nothing else. I personally started with C++. And for the sake of answering a minor question, would I be right in assuming that C++ is basically C with more functions?

[dsavi]

C++ is a superset of C, personally I think that the added OOP functionality that C++ has really doesn't add so much to the language. Therefore I prefer C, it's minimalistic and it's still possible to apply the concepts of OOP to it (To some extent) with structs and function pointers.

So while C++ does have more features, it's really a matter of opinion as to whether or not they're worth it. I know that Linus Torvalds isn't a big fan. [Crude language warning]

[Orpheus]

C++ is a superset of C, personally I think that the added OOP functionality that C++ has really doesn't add so much to the language. Therefore I prefer C, it's minimalistic and it's still possible to apply the concepts of OOP to it (To some extent) with structs and function pointers.

So while C++ does have more features, it's really a matter of opinion as to whether or not they're worth it. I know that Linus Torvalds isn't a big fan. [Crude language warning]

Ah. Fair enough.