First programming language

what is best first programming language you think?

I learned languages in this order: QB, VB, C++, Java, Python, ASM, C#, HTML&CSS, PHP&MySQL

You left off a few. Nothing major. Only all of the C family languages, Java, etc.

Doesn't matter though, the answer is Discrete Math for a firm foundation in logic and whichever language peaks your interest or can be applied to a problem you're likley to encounter.

I thought he was asking what is first language i learnt...

I think there's 1,000,001 similar threads/polls here on "best (beginner) language" either in the lounge or in beginner programming, which is where this probably belongs too. I'll let another mod move it if they agree though.

Everyone has a different answer, none of them actually wrong. My answer is it doesn't really matter so long as you are learning proper programming precepts. Some classroom instruction will help in that aspect.

In order I taught myself: BASIC, Pascal, FORTRAN, Assembler on the original IBM PC before I got to college and had taken RPG-II at a votec school. College basically tossed in cursory Lisp and ADA, C and rehashed those same languages. But classes like Data Structures taught me a lot on that level. Along with logic and use of standards and convention and the concepts of syntax and program flow. Everything else I learned pertinent to any language or system has of course long become obsolete. Half of it was obsolete when they were still teaching it. It's a field of continuous learning. If you don't like studying it, you won't enjoy it as a career.

Well, I think that BASIC, Pascal and FORTRAN are outdated languages and should not be learned, even though they are still used. (I know I'm gonna get flamed for this, but that's my opinion) I would go with something easy like Python/Ruby/Perl and then go with C/C++.

Ha. You don't know many Meterologists or Math majors in general do you?

But other than that you're right. The average beginning programmer should start with something that's likley to be used in the average application development situation. Which could be anything: c family, java, vb, python, perl, ruby, html/css, javascript, vbscript, asp, php, etc.

Note: I just started learning python this morning. I gotta tell you. Not really any easier than when I first started learning c about 10 years ago. Not hard mind you. Just not any easier.

Actually, I think I agree that people shouldn't learn FORTRAN unless they specifically need it. I didn't find it to be a very interesting or..."enlightening" language. Unless it's raw performance you're after, C is better in essentially every way (and you can get very good performance with C, anyway).

Speaking of which, I think C is one of the best "first languages" due to its transparency and straightforwardness. It's good to start near the ground. I'm kind of sad that my alma mater has dropped C in favor of Java for its general introductory computer science course, but at least they still teach C in the next course.

It should be a multi-paradigm language and learning it should involve several idioms (functional, imperative, OO) - otherwise, IMO, people are left with their brain moulded to one particular style and find it much harder to start thinking in another.

First language? Dunno if I want to admit to that! ...It was a BASIC interpreter, running on a machine elsewhere for which we had to write a coding sheet out to submit the code for running and wait a week for the results ... Real bummer if you had a typo!
Then it was an internal language called IRIS (Inland Revenue Interrogation System) - no, I ain't kidding! Followed swiftly by the version of BASIC on a friend's Sinclair ZX80, and thence to BNBC BASIC on my own BBC micro, with a smattering of 6502 ASM chucked in (after a while!).
All downhill from there!

The question is which is best to start on, not what did you start on...

I'd never put down qbasic as best to start on when python exists.

I started out with python, but gave that up cuz I never found out how to compile my prog to an .exe, always had to run them in the interpreter . But I guess thats okay too since I was only 13 at the time. Then like 3-4 years after I gave up programming I picked up pascal then c++. Aaanyway, i think pascal is cool to start with although I know many wont agree with me