Which programming language should I learn? (Updated)

[[Gandalf]]

Looking back, and...

wtd, the Java example you showed won't compile since Java, being case sensitive requires the "System" in "System.out.println()" to be start with a capital letter. It goes well to discouraging beginners from learning Java, but in the spirit of equality...

Java:

import java.lang.*; import java.io.*; public class HelloWorld {    public static void main(String[] args)    {       System.out.println("Hello world");    } }

[wtd]

Thanks for pointing that out.

[[Gandalf]]

There is also this example:

code:

import java.lang.*; import java.io.*; public class HelloWorld {    public static void main(String[] args)    {       greet();    }        private static void greet()    {       System.out.println("Hello world");    } }

[eklypze]

Great Guide!

[Martin]

Haskell is definitely where it's at. The lazy bit is cool, but leads to the occasional 'huh? Why does that work?'

Mind if I spice up this guide with some example code later (not Haskell... I was thinking C/C++/Java to start) to flesh out the examples some more?

[wtd]

Martin wrote:

Haskell is definitely where it's at. The lazy bit is cool, but leads to the occasional 'huh? Why does that work?'

The silence from you on the subject makes me wonder just how much of Haskell's power you've seen.

Martin wrote:

Mind if I spice up this guide with some example code later (not Haskell... I was thinking C/C++/Java to start) to flesh out the examples some more?

Knock yourself out.

[Martin]

Yeah, I haven't had much time to learn about it. Work's been picking up (finally) and there's too much to do after work.

I downloaded a tutorial - Yet Another Haskell Tutorial by Hal Daume III. I'm somewhere in chapter 7 (Advanced Features).

[wtd]

Martin wrote:

I downloaded a tutorial - Yet Another Haskell Tutorial by Hal Daume III. I'm somewhere in chapter 7 (Advanced Features).

That's a good tutorial.

[Martin]

I'm enjoying it.

Haskell really promotes a different way of thinking, and I love ghci.

One thing I'm not sure about Haskell though is how well it'd work for an actual application (besides math based ones). I guess I'll find out.

[wtd]

http://www.pugscode.org/

[Martin]

So that's a 'yes, it works' I take it?

[wtd]

Yes.

[Lazy]

Quote:

Haskell really promotes a different way of thinking, and I love ghci.

One thing I'm not sure about Haskell though is how well it'd work for an actual application (besides math based ones). I guess I'll find out.

How about this - a 2d shooter game? It's a fun example of how anything can be done in Haskell - and it's a good excuse to download a game for "research purposes"

[haskell]

What about standard Lisp dialects, such as Scheme, Prolog, and Common Lisp? Lisp is tried and tested, and has a sense of eureka when you finally figure it out . Plus Scheme is common in quite a few CS classes(Undergrad level).

Modern Assembly examples? MASM32, TASM32, or FASM. You can snatch them off their home pages, probably available under GNU License or similar.

Tcl/tk would be nice to add... But I doubt anyone thinks of learning Tool Command Language as a first language.

Possibly awk, sed and the other forgotten tools, as some people learn those first in a Unix-based environment.

AutoIt would be a good one to add... Its a Windows-based scripting language that can also be compiled to the standard Win32 PE file(.exe, not sure about .dll). Its a BASIC-like syntax and is very easy.

AspectJ would be a good example of Aspect-Oriented programming. Though probably not something for a first language.

Maybe Flash and Php? Web apps are pretty popular, and are a good transition from web design to computer programming.

[michaelp]

Sorry for the big bump, but what are you opinions on what is the best programming language for games?