Click here to Skip to main content
16,012,107 members

Survey Results

What is the best starting language for a new developer?   [Edit]

Survey period: 7 Apr 2008 to 14 Apr 2008

Some developers start with scripting and move to high level languages, while other start with ASM and continue from there. What do you think is best way to start? (Suggested by Christiaan Rakowski)

OptionVotes% 
Assembler (any flavour)512.43
C30614.59
C++28713.68
C# / Java69633.17
Lisp150.71
Pascal / Modula / Delphi1266.01
Python361.72
VBScript241.14
Visual Basic26912.82
The first language will depend on what area the developer will want to work24111.49

View optional text answers (93 answers)


 
GeneralC# vs. C++ Pin
The Cake of Deceit13-Apr-08 7:51
The Cake of Deceit13-Apr-08 7:51 
GeneralCredit Card Transcactions Pin
jamesmani2k511-Apr-08 20:28
jamesmani2k511-Apr-08 20:28 
GeneralRe: Credit Card Transcactions Pin
NormDroid12-Apr-08 1:52
professionalNormDroid12-Apr-08 1:52 
GeneralRe: Credit Card Transcactions Pin
Enquiren13-Apr-08 10:01
Enquiren13-Apr-08 10:01 
GeneralRe: Credit Card Transcactions Pin
Paul Conrad12-Apr-08 9:31
professionalPaul Conrad12-Apr-08 9:31 
GeneralWhat is the difference between these languages ? Pin
Madhu Kampurath11-Apr-08 17:28
Madhu Kampurath11-Apr-08 17:28 
QuestionRe: What is the difference between these languages ? Pin
Danila Korablin12-Apr-08 19:53
Danila Korablin12-Apr-08 19:53 
GeneralRe: What is the difference between these languages ? Pin
Petr Prikryl15-Apr-08 0:47
Petr Prikryl15-Apr-08 0:47 
GeneralLanguage is not as important as age. Pin
snorkie11-Apr-08 9:39
professionalsnorkie11-Apr-08 9:39 
GeneralLearning with Pascal Pin
AmauriRodrigues11-Apr-08 8:45
AmauriRodrigues11-Apr-08 8:45 
GeneralRe: Learning with Pascal Pin
AspDotNetDvlpr11-Apr-08 9:02
AspDotNetDvlpr11-Apr-08 9:02 
GeneralRe: Learning with Pascal Pin
Ed.Poore12-Apr-08 13:02
Ed.Poore12-Apr-08 13:02 
GeneralRe: Learning with Pascal Pin
AmauriRodrigues12-Apr-08 13:41
AmauriRodrigues12-Apr-08 13:41 
GeneralMaybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
bwilhite11-Apr-08 5:58
bwilhite11-Apr-08 5:58 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9611-Apr-08 7:50
Member 9611-Apr-08 7:50 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
bwilhite11-Apr-08 8:05
bwilhite11-Apr-08 8:05 
Well, esoterica has it's place, but it's definitely overblown a lot of times (I'm a reformed academic myself). If it's something you're interested in then that's great and all, but those kinds of debates and knowledge usually don't put much bread on the table *for most people*. I agree with your general sentiment though, and for the guy who's just starting out and wants to get some stuff done (which should be most cases), then either Java, C#, or VB is probably the way to go. Unless of course your aim is to build an operating system and that's where you want to start (some people just like to dive in head-first).

What strikes me over and over when I visit this site is that a lot of people don't seem to understand that generally speaking the software we write is the servant (of the business need) not the master. Sure there's a place for research and exploration, but again, that doesn't put much bread on the table. My impression is that if a lot of people would give up their idealized view of how life ought to be and deal with how it is, they'd be a lot happier. I think this applies in many areas.

But hey, maybe I'm wrong Poke tongue | ;-P
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9611-Apr-08 9:44
Member 9611-Apr-08 9:44 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Shog912-Apr-08 5:57
sitebuilderShog912-Apr-08 5:57 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9612-Apr-08 6:47
Member 9612-Apr-08 6:47 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Shog912-Apr-08 7:29
sitebuilderShog912-Apr-08 7:29 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Member 9612-Apr-08 7:48
Member 9612-Apr-08 7:48 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:43
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:43 
GeneralRe: Maybe it's the wrong question.... Pin
cp987612-Apr-08 18:09
cp987612-Apr-08 18:09 
Generalc# ;) Pin
pmartike11-Apr-08 2:25
pmartike11-Apr-08 2:25 
GeneralRe: c# ;) Pin
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:57
Enquiren13-Apr-08 9:57 

General General    News News    Suggestion Suggestion    Question Question    Bug Bug    Answer Answer    Joke Joke    Praise Praise    Rant Rant    Admin Admin   

Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.