Page 3 - A Highly Opinionated Review of Programming Languages for the Novice

Very funny - thank you!

If you want to delve into .Net web development:

html, css, javascript,ajax,xml/xsl, c#

If you want to delve into PHP development:

html, css, javascript,ajax,xml/xsl, php

This is just my opinion.

Good sticky topic. It's very interesting and very informative. Thanks for the information

Thanks for sharing such a nice and the useful information.. I prefer to learn first the HTML properly and then move on to the other languages. PHP is and XML is the best online languages and you can build web applications and websites with the help of these powerful languages..

nice thread. thanks.

can i add a more 2010 scenario to this discussion: what's the best language(s) to use to create a stand-alone application but with a robust web 'interface' and smart phone 'interface', all three that access a fairly large database? (it will be written by a team of about 4 programmers and 2 analysts/designers.)

background: i'm engaging with a new project and want to ensure were using the proper language(s). (i've been part of bad experiences working with an application that was written in 'xxx' and years later everyone realizes 'xxx' is a (com)pile o crap... i don't want that to happen again so am willing to spend a few months learning to use a 'better' language.))

i have experience writing in VB, ASP, PHP, SQL, and using MS SQL Server; however, i'm willing to invest 3-6 months to learn a new language / db program so that it gets written properly. (i won't be writing it myself - i'll be the 'secretary' (i mean project manager) but i also want to make a move back into programming myself (hence the learning part).)

so i have 2 big questions:

1. what is the best language(s) to use?
2. what is the best db to use?

a bit more detail on the proposed application:

it's gotta process lots of data, fast

1. access a db of about 50 million records
2. manipulate that data (add, delete, change)
3. query that data
4. analyze that data (fairly complex algorithms but nothing scientific or medical)
5. export spreadsheet style reports

it's gotta be able to create bitchin' reports too

1. export 'fancy' reports (like an IKEA catalog) with pictures, borders, etc. good enough to print

it's gotta be web friendly, too

1. access at least part of the data over the internet (add/change/delete/query the data)

it's gotta be smart phone friendly

1. access part of the data on a smart phone (add/change/delete/query the data)

it's gotta be robust

1. about 10 people people would be using the program on an internal network on desktop machines (LAN), and on smart phones (blackberry and iphone)
2. about 10'000 people (hopefully) would be using accessing the data over the web

must have a wicked-nice GUI

bump

Almost all of the characteristics you listed as being important are characteristics of the program, not the language its written in. Use a language your programmers are already familiar with.

I recommend programming the desktop portion in something like Java or C#, and the web and smart phone sections in PHP. I don't recommend using the same language for both parts. As far as databases go, MySql just plain works. If you need more features than MySql offers then try Postgresql, although you pay for the extra features in performance and management difficulty.

Wow!
So much information.

IH,
good very nice info,....
thanks for sharing this info......

Hi

I am a freshman in university and I studied "c" in previous semester . Now I want to learn an advanced programming language but I don't know which one will suit me .
Next semester I should pass c#,and in my country most of job opportunities are for c#.
1.How about job opportunities in America and Europe ?
2.I want to be professional programmer which is better to learn c#,java,c++ or something else?
3.Is a good idea that I learn two or more? If yes what would be the sequence?

Thanks a lot.