• Question: What language do you use for programming and what would you say is an easy one to start off learning?

    Asked by DrProfessorKit to Andy on 12 Dec 2014.
    • Photo: Andy Hearn

      Andy Hearn answered on 12 Dec 2014:

      Quite a lot of languages!

      I think I’ve been lucky enough to use C and then C++ mostly as a professional, and some developers say that once you know ‘C’, you can pick up any other language fairly quickly – I think that is very true.

      Python is great – it’s my next fave after C. I wish I had that all them years ago when I started! I reckon it is an excellent language to start coding with. https://www.python.org/about/gettingstarted/

      Some people used to think that starting coding is about typing one line at a time, and having to understand everything that goes on each line (yawn!). But nowadays learning to code is better with an example small source code file, not worrying about understanding everything in it but to get a general gist first, and then dig in whatever looks interesting like changing something in that piece of code, and see what happens next – making mistakes is *far* better than not making any actually! 🙂

Comments

  • Photo: DrProfessorKit

    DrProfessorKit commented on :

    Thanks! I am currently teaching myself (with the aid of the internet, my brain and CodeAcademy) Python! So I’m glad you think it’s a good place to start. I’m also teaching myself JavaScript! I really want to try using a raspberry Pi, are they hard to use?

    • Photo: Andy

      Andy commented on :

      That’s fantastic! Yeah, HMTL5, JavaScript, and the “web platform” is great – we only have a very rough idea of what awesome things we’ll be creating/using 5 years time, and in a decade’s time the Web and ‘net will be so different – an exciting time to get involved with JS et al today!

      • Photo: Andy

        Andy commented on :

        …and Raspberry Pi computers aren’t hard to start with; http://www.raspberrypi.org , but it can be hard having to deal with so many ideas of things to do with them, with not enough time!

        • Photo: DrProfessorKit

          DrProfessorKit commented on :

          Thanks! I have no idea what I’d do with one, I just really like the idea of building a computer! 😀
          Also, what is the difference between Java and JavaScript? Because I was told there’s a difference!!

          • Photo: Andy

            Andy commented on :

            Excellent question – that’s something which still annoys me, Java and JavaScript!
            Apparently JavaScript is named with “Java” in it as a marketing ploy, since that was when Java was the new fad! They are not related in any other way. JavaScript would have been named “ZappoFabboScript” if “ZappoFabbo” was some kind of new cool language around that time.
            Silly eh 🙁

  • Photo: Joe

    Joe commented on :

    Huh. I consider myself experienced with an RPi, they’re really easy to use, and there is such a large community it’s hard to go wrong! I also recommend the ‘Youtube Workshop Kit’ on modmyPi (Google it) as the guy who created it is great at explaining Python codes and physical computing!

  • Photo: DrProfessorKit

    DrProfessorKit commented on :

    @Andy That is a bit stupid. Do they both do pretty similar things?

  • Photo: Fi

    Fi commented on :

    I learnt on Basic, Fortran 77, then mathematica, before teaching myself a little html. I also use Latex, which is really good for writing mathematical equations. Most recently and for fun I’ve been using the arduino system which uses a derivative of C/C++, I am interested in linking arduino systems into my teaching so I have to learn myself before I can teach others!