Like Janina said yesterday, I do not like to just say "I agree" either. But I too have taught programming for over 30 years and I agree with Ron's very sensible advice below. Someone once said that you can write good programs in any language, but it is easier in C than in most others. But you can also write bad programs in any language, and that too is easier in C than in most others. Chuck On Sun, 10 Mar 2002, Ron Marriage wrote: > Having taught programming languages for over 30 years, I > figure to weigh in with my own 2 cents. > > First off, if you don't know a programming language now, > forget about the compilers, IDEs, etc. > You don't want to learn an IDE you want to know how to > program. The skills that you learn will transfer to most > other languages. > > Basic is available in many flavors, pick one, so it's > interpreted, why should you care. Believe it or not you > won't develope the newest MS office suite with it or with > any language you start out with. > > What you can learn though even with an interpreted language > is logic, methodology, and a background that will carry over > to more advanced languages, where you will have the chance > of doing something worthwhile. > > Tie yourself to an IDE now and you won't learn programming > ever. You also won't develope anything more than what you > can do by pushing buttons. An IDE is good only after you > learn how to program. > > Get basic, play with it a while, then try C or some other > higher language. > > Lots of languages out there and most work great for specific > things. Not eveything is done in C. > > After you have some basic skills, decide what it is that you > want to do. You might realize then that the language you > want is much easier to decide upon. > > Ron > > > > Alex Snow wrote: > > > > I would use, and want to learn, basic, if there was a free Compiler and/or > > IDE for basic under winblows. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Gregory Nowak" <gnowak1 at uic.edu> > > To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> > > Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 2:56 PM > > Subject: Re: free programming language > > > > > How about BASIC? > > > Greg > > -- > === > Ron Marriage > Home Page http://www.seidata.com/~marriage/ > Blind Links http://www.seidata.com/~marriage/rblind.html > Linux http://www.seidata.com/~seilug/ > Email mailto:marriage at seidata.com > > Win door prizes! Meet old and new friends! > See the latest technology and gadgets for your everyday > living! > Learn how the NFB is helping to knock down barriers > to make your life better! > All this and more at the 2002 NFB National Convention > July 3 - 9 -- for details go to: http://www.nfbk.org > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > Visit me at http://www.valstar.net/~hallenbeck The Moon is Waning Crescent (6% of Full)
