Best language for this purpose?

Okay, I have posted on this site before asking about programming languages but I kept getting the same reply with C++ being the best for me. But I know C++ is a hard language for beginners. So may questions are.

1. Where can I find tutorials for complete beginners to programming.

2. What is the best route to go in learning the languages? Java->C->C++ or what?

3. What language is easiest to learn with but also easy to move to a higher language.

4. What languages are best for easy crossplatform programming using native libraries?

5. What are some free (cheap) apps to code and (compile) the languages you recommend.

6. What is the best language for developing applications like email clients, office applications, chat clients?

....also I would like to stay away from the BASIC languages because I have heard to many bad things about them and teaching bad programming habits. And with me being and O.C. person I dont need bad habits.


Thanks,

Dustin

I'm probably not the best person to answer this b/c my development experience is currenlty limited to the web, but I thought throw a few things out there anyway. I learned PERL first. I think it's acceptable to say that PERL is more difficult than PHP. But learning PERL first made learning PHP a two day task. I guess my point is that while learning a difficult language first is difficult in itself, it makes learning other languages easier. That's all I can contribute. Sorry it can't be more.

As a note, HTML is not a programming language.

C

I have considered Perl but is it good for programming applications or is it just for the web? And I just gave HTML as an example of what little I know in the line of computer languages.

Python is a pretty good language. Its not too hard, and is all object oriented, which can be useful for learning more new languages (Java, etc). It is cross platform, and can code apps and web stuff.
Regardless of which language you choose, the first one is hardest. C++ is not easy, but once you know it, or java, or another 'real' programming language, learning more is much easier.
Look at your bookstore or Amazon.com for programming guides for absolute or complete beginners. There are books like that for most languages.
Good luck!

(ps- to expand on what jharnois said, HTML is not a computer language at all. It is just a markup language. Knowing HTML doesn't really help you learn programming concepts or techniques, so basically, it doesn't count )

Okay, Im actually trying out python but I am still looking for other options. Just want to find the best route for me.


Note: "I took out the part about HTML to prevent any further issues..."

I'd say if you know a little PHP already then just stick with it for now. Once you're competent in it and know the basics or programming in general then you'll find any other language much easier to learn. If not then Python would be a good choice, it's a very easy language to learn although you'll find there are less people around who are able to help you (despite all it's pros it still seems to have a lower impact on the net than many other languages).

I'd say either of those two is a much better step into programming than C or C++. With those languages you're just being given too much too fast and you'll probably end up tearing your hair out and/or crashing your computer every 5 minutes. I find it's easier to learn simpler languages first and then work up in incremental steps. For instance right now I don't know C, C++, or Java, yet I can read code in those languages and fully understand 95% of it. When I finally do learn those languages I have no doubt it will be a much smoother process then if I'd jumped right into them from the very beginning.

Another bonus of learning in an interpreted language like PHP or Python is that you won't be constantly compiling to fix each and every mistake. Instead you can just run the code once you've typed it and if it comes across an error you can instantly edit the code and re-run it without any waiting.

A chat client could be made in pretty much any language, however to make things like email clients, or office applications you would typically use C or C++. But then again they're really not the kind of program you'll be able to create within your first year or two of programming anyway, so there's little point (in my opinion) or learning C/C++ right now simply for that.

Whichever language you learn, I'd recommend buying a book about it. Internet resources are great, but I've always found learning from a book to be much easier than reading from a screen.

Thanks Sacrilege, That was very helpful.

I dont know, I think C++ is pretty easy to understand even when you dont know any other languages. Only some parts are actually confusing. With Perl, I'm told you should know Unix first, but I havent read into either one much. As for a compiler, you could try Bloodsheds Dev-C++ at www.bloodshed.net . As for tutorials, I use www.pscode.com , www.cprogramming.com , www.codeproject.com , and this website.

Edit >> Naturally, that free compiler is only good with C++

Thanks FHCandyman, that was real helpful, I looked at the Cprogramming.com website and it is exactly what I am looking for.

yeah i think you're best learning c++ or java..although u might have to learn the concept of oop, it'll be useful in the long run..java is based off of c++ so they're very similar

you can find alot of free tutorials on the internet which are geared towards those with little programming experience..and if you encounter any problems, the members here are pretty good
good luck

duke: if your looking for some more stuff on programming in C++, the motherload i posted here: http://invisionfree.com/forums/CPPl...p?showtopic=175 probably about 10 links to source code, tutorials, and other stuff i found that will help.

If your looking at making internet applications then I think PERL is best for that but if its creation of software ect. Then I would choose visual basic.

Thats my personal opinion

Unless you want to create applications that run somewhere other than Windows machines.

For cross-platform GUI applications, you can use python, perl, or any number of languages you'd use for web programming too. perl has numerous GUI toolkits available to it.

once you learn the basics in any language. you'll be having more problems with the logic rather than syntax. and that's where college/whatever education kicks in. so if you're in high school and the hardest math u got is algebra 2 or pre cal. it'll be hard to get good in pretty much any language. but not impossible! practice is what gets you good anyway =)

=) personal opinion.