Looking to start learning programming

[sodapop101]

Hello all, I'm fairly new here. I'm just looking to get a few opinions on what would be a good programming language to start learning in? On the articles, I read BASIC was one of the easiest but was a bad habit to break. What would you guys say would be a good starter program? Also, where would I go to acquire BASIC?

I know HTML quite well but I'm pretty sure HTML and programming languages are quite different. I really have a desire to learn and I'm not like those other kids that make accounts and ask you to hack things for me. I'm even thinking about changing my major to something more computer oriented. Anyways, sorry for the epic post. Any help and suggestions would be great!
-sodapop101

[acevic]

This post is a good starting point.

[ampakine]

Yeah HTML is a markup language, not a programming language but knowing HTML is definitely a good start. First thing I learned was HTML then I moved onto PHP. PHP is a programming language, by learning PHP I learned all sorts of programming concepts like variables, conditional statements, loops, functions etc. which made learning a 2nd programming language 1000 times easier. I've literally spent about 5 days learning and practicing javascript and I'm already getting good at it because from knowing PHP I already know how to use functions, loops, conditional statements and all sorts of other stuff. The concepts you learn in 1 programming language apply to all programming languages. Same goes for markup languages, your knowledge of tags and attributes and all that stuff from HTML gives you a huge head start if you wanna learn XML.

I recommend learning javascript or PHP now because these languages will build on your HTML knowledge. You can't really learn javascript or PHP without already knowing HTML. The best way to learn programming languages (and just about everything in life) is by practicing them so start a project that requires you to use the new language you're learning. Do you have any websites? If not start one. Make a list of all the features you want to add to your site that can be done with javascript or PHP then start learning. Start at the beginning though, the first thing you need to know is how to use variables. Have you played the game mad libs? Thats a good way to gain an instant understanding of variables, make a mad libs program. If you don't know what mad libs is tell me and I'll make the program for you so you can play around with it. Its funny shit.

EDIT: Also if you want to get good at "designing" websites then you wanna learn CSS. In fact I'd say you should learn a bit of CSS before you start javascript or PHP because the sooner you learn CSS the sooner you start using it in your websites. The first websites I made I didn't know CSS at all, I only reason I even bothered learning what it was was so I could make links change color when you hover over them and eventually when I wanted to make my website look good I ended up having to redo half the site to convert it into CSS format. If I had just learned the basics of CSS in the first place I would have saved myself loads of hassle.

[sodapop101]

Yeah HTML is a markup language, not a programming language but knowing HTML is definitely a good start. First thing I learned was HTML then I moved onto PHP. PHP is a programming language, by learning PHP I learned all sorts of programming concepts like variables, conditional statements, loops, functions etc. which made learning a 2nd programming language 1000 times easier. I've literally spent about 5 days learning and practicing javascript and I'm already getting good at it because from knowing PHP I already know how to use functions, loops, conditional statements and all sorts of other stuff. The concepts you learn in 1 programming language apply to all programming languages. Same goes for markup languages, your knowledge of tags and attributes and all that stuff from HTML gives you a huge head start if you wanna learn XML.

I recommend learning javascript or PHP now because these languages will build on your HTML knowledge. You can't really learn javascript or PHP without already knowing HTML. The best way to learn programming languages (and just about everything in life) is by practicing them so start a project that requires you to use the new language you're learning. Do you have any websites? If not start one. Make a list of all the features you want to add to your site that can be done with javascript or PHP then start learning. Start at the beginning though, the first thing you need to know is how to use variables. Have you played the game mad libs? Thats a good way to gain an instant understanding of variables, make a mad libs program. If you don't know what mad libs is tell me and I'll make the program for you so you can play around with it. Its funny shit.

EDIT: Also if you want to get good at "designing" websites then you wanna learn CSS. In fact I'd say you should learn a bit of CSS before you start javascript or PHP because the sooner you learn CSS the sooner you start using it in your websites. The first websites I made I didn't know CSS at all, I only reason I even bothered learning what it was was so I could make links change color when you hover over them and eventually when I wanted to make my website look good I ended up having to redo half the site to convert it into CSS format. If I had just learned the basics of CSS in the first place I would have saved myself loads of hassle.

Just saw this. Thanks for your input!

[Reason7194]

Python F T W

[centip3de]

Python F T W

YUS! SOMEONE WHO AGREE'S WITH ME!

[thetan]

Javascript is actually a really easy to learn and powerful language (it derives most of it's power from being so closely related to LISP).

Stanford's CS 101 class is actually taught using Javascript
http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs101/
http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs101/cs101-demo.html

Traditionally at MIT CS101 is taught using LISP (the language that javascript derives most of it's behavior from). The MIT CS101 book is freely available online and called SICP (Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs).
http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/

[8000cats]

thenewboston.com is in my opinion the best place to learn to program, maybe begin with a few simple C programs and then once you have got the hang of the whole programming thing then either focus on C/C++ or Java.

Or if you want to focus on Web programming then (after learning basic programming concepts with C) move on to Javascript and then PHP... of course you shud not start anything to do with the Web unless you know HTML....

[LoGiCaL__]

thenewboston.com is in my opinion the best place to learn to program, maybe begin with a few simple C programs and then once you have got the hang of the whole programming thing then either focus on C/C++ or Java.<br><br>Or if you want to focus on Web programming then (after learning basic programming concepts with C) move on to Javascript and then PHP... of course you shud not start anything to do with the Web unless you know HTML....

Hey 8000cats, welcome to HTS. Thanks for your input but the thread was over 3 months old and obviously settled. The OP has probably moved on and totally forgot about this post. I will leave it, but please try not to necro old post.

[jarubyh]

Well, and you'll here this pretty much everywhere else, it depends on what you're doing.

If you're not quite sure what you want to do, Python or Ruby is a good choice. As programming languages go, both of these are good, easy to use yet powerful languages.

If you want to do low-level OS coding or write heavy-duty applications, C or C++ is a good choice. Both of these languages are powerful, hard, and occasionally dangerous, yet they are invaluable in the programmers (or hackers toolkit.

For websites, PHP, Javascript, Java, or even Perl would all be great choices. These languages are quite popular for these websites, and, as stated, it would compliment your HTML skills.

None of these languages can only be used for the purposes I suggested, you can do heavy-duty applications in Ruby and Websites in C, but they are quite popular for them.

printf("Have fun!");