languages to learn

[Snipeon]

Hi people, i've temporarily given up on the hts missions in favor of learning a few new languages.
currently on my list is c++(need to learn more on that), rails/ruby(i've been told ruby was developed from rails...), perl, python, java, html, php, asp, javascript and SQL. can you guys plz suggest some other languages which i may be interested in learning? and to help me sort out which 'crucial'(read as commonly used) languages i would need to learn first and which languages are perhaps unnecessary?(i've been told that no one uses asp nowadays...)
thks a lot!
ps. i know i need to learn c++, html and php first, one is basically a language which allows me to create almost anything, and the other 2 are the basics for websites. duh.

-- Thu Feb 21, 2013 10:11 am --

oh, and if possible, can you guys plz provide me with links where i can start learning them? the languages i mentioned above included; the more sources the better, right?

[Tentra]

It all depends on what you want to do with the language. I've broken your list down into how I think of languages:

System:
C/C++
Java

Web:
HTML
JavaScript
PHP
ASP.NET

Database:
SQL

System languages tend to be used to write applications. C++ is definitely the most common, it pretty much sets the standard for system languages. Java is quite similar to C++, but a little more beginner friendly in my opinion.

Web languages, well, are used on the web. HTML hardly warrants any study in my opinion as it's not a programming language, but rather a markup language. You also will learn HTML as you develop with other web languages, such as PHP, Ruby (Rails), or Python (Django). JavaScript is pretty easy to learn if you already know another language and definitely worth learning if you want to do web development.

Database languages are not used to program, but rather to interact with a database using CRUD. CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update, Delete; which are the main things you do with a database language such as SQL.

If you have never programmed before, I recommend either Java or Python, they are the most beginner friendly and are taught in most universities in the Intro to Programming classes.

It ultimately comes down to what you want to do with the language you learn.

[centip3de]

It all depends on what you want to do with the language. I've broken your list down into how I think of languages:

System:
C/C++
Java

Java is not a systems language. Systems languages are those meant to write systems software (read Operating Systems, and other system-critical constructs). (You can read up on it here.) Rather, Java is an application programming language)

System languages tend to be used to write applications. C++ is definitely the most common, it pretty much sets the standard for system languages. Java is quite similar to C++, but a little more beginner friendly in my opinion.

As stated above, you're thinking of application programming. Also, Java is much more common than C++ in the application-programming sphere, although both have massive popularity.

Web languages, well, are used on the web. HTML hardly warrants any study in my opinion as it's not a programming language, but rather a markup language.

HTML is a great language for initial study, as it provides a good idea of how code should be structured, and some other higher-level concepts that are used in other languages.

You also will learn HTML as you develop with other web languages, such as PHP, Ruby (Rails), or Python (Django). JavaScript is pretty easy to learn if you already know another language and definitely worth learning if you want to do web development.

Yes, but your HTML will suffer as well as your other languages. If you're planning to continue using web-programming languages, a solid background in HTML is an absolute must.

OP: Besides the minor issues in their post, Tentra's post contains a good list to go off of. Really once you learn one or two, you'll know where you want to go from there. And as far as where to learn the languages, I would start out here if I were you.

[Snipeon]

Thks for your replies.

If you have never programmed before, I recommend either Java or Python, they are the most beginner friendly and are taught in most universities in the Intro to Programming classes.

Well, i already have my basics down in C++, started out with learning C(not even C++), and that's when i got hooked on programming. after that, i got dragged in to learn html and php by some friends, so you can say i already have the basics down in all 3 of those languages(along with a bit of knowledge of PLC(programmable logic controller) programming, though i doubt i would be using this knowledge anytime soon.). as such, i have currently decided on going deeper into these 3 languages first before learning any new languages.

It ultimately comes down to what you want to do with the language you learn.

as what i ultimately WANT to do with the languages i learn... well, nothing. not exactly, but i just want to know everything bout machines so well that i may one day not only write my own languages, but also create my own machines and component parts.(i'm also gonna struggle with electrical and electronic engineering)

Really once you learn one or two, you'll know where you want to go from there. And as far as where to learn the languages, I would start out here if I were you.

well, seeing as i already KNOW one or two languages, i already know what direction i wanna go out in(see above). and as for google... Ah, good old google, my almost always helpful companion whenever i'm stuck in a hole. but, may god help you if you ever have to go pass page 10.(which i done on a few occasions)

by the way, what happened to the adding to my list? i'm also interested in assembly code, can someone plz suggest a language which i could start out in?(i'm a complete noob when it comes to assembly)

[centip3de]

by the way, what happened to the adding to my list? i'm also interested in assembly code, can someone plz suggest a language which i could start out in?(i'm a complete noob when it comes to assembly)

Learning that many languages listed above is easy, becoming decent in them all is hard, and mastering all of them is impossible. Realistically, you need to not only get the basics down for C/C++, but also the more advanced features of them (memory management, structs, unions, linked-lists, trees, etc.) in order to truly get the full experience out of them. I'd stick to two, maybe three languages right now and keep programming in them until you feel you have gotten the full experience out of them. Not only that, but you're setting your goals awfully high. While it's great to shoot for the moon, having more realistic goals would benefit your learning much more (i.e. if you start hiking, you don't plan to climb Mt. Everest after your first hike).

As for the ASM part of your question, I have written two (so far) tutorials for beginners located here and here.

[Snipeon]

that is actually my long term goal, not something i wish to accomplish in a year or two. maybe in 10~20 years? for now, i just wish to delve deeper into c++ and html. thanks for the advice anyway. and for the guides in assembly. as for me asking for more languages to add to my list, that's cuz i would at least want to have a master plan of what i wish to learn.