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Programming Languages

heclak

heclak

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32
Country
singapore
Hi guys,
just getting into programming and not just for FS so that i can appreciate stuff better and make the world a better place(haha!in my dreams). what language would be a good place to start. I would decide on C languages but between C++ and C#. To my understanding, C# is the older brother/expanded C++. So would it be better to jump straight into C#? Or are they some stuff that can only be done in C++ and not in C#? why so many versions in the first place?
 
Why do we all speak different languages in the world (it would be much easier if everybody just spoke Dutch :D)? I guess that is the same question as why there as so many programming languages.

I guess what you should choose depends on what you want to program in the end. Until now I made most of my tools for FS with VB6, but I am switching to C# now. When you want to make a GUI C# seems a lot easier to use than C++.

But at work when working on simulation software it is usally C/C++ what we use (plus some old stuff in Fortran). So it really depends on what you want.

But if you plan to go to C# in the end, I would not bother and learning C++ first.
 
Yes, you can do things in C++ you can't do in C#. But it's an outdated programming models where you have to deal with a lot of trivial things yourself and as it has evolved more and more stupidity has been added to it.

C++ is still useful in a few situations (drivers for example as it works closer to the "hardware layer"), and due to the old core in VS it might also be an advantage in some situations when interfacing VS. Hopefully Microsoft will improve this in future versions.

Why so many languages? Why so many car models? Programming is an extremely immature technoligy, so even the most modern environments like C#/.NET are actually hopefully outdated. Hence a lot of work is done desperately trying to get them in a state when they are a bit more useful. Sometimes it can be done by adding new libraries or features. Other times the existing technoligy is just so hopelessly outdated a complete replacement is needed. Over time, the use of the outdated technoligies will fade, but in the transition face (years, possible decades). C++ is widely used, so that will be one of those it will take "decades" to get rid of.

For now, learn C#. It will force you to think object oriented (at least more than C++ will, even though I guess you can avoid it if you really try to make things hard for yourself), and it will deal with a lot of the trivialities for you. If needed you might later pick up C++ to do specific tasks, but if you gt into this, you will probably end up with more ideas for things to program than time to do it, and then you might simply do the things that can be done in C# and skip the rest. :)
 
My vote would be for C# as well. Especially if it is for general application programming. There are still some things like drivers and interfaces which it might be beneficial to use C++.

I used to use VB.NET but moved over to C# about a year ago and I am very pleased that I did.

This site contains some useful stuff for C# including links to a lot of free book chapters which cover most of C#

http://www.publicjoe.co.uk/csharp/csharp.html
 
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thanks guys. i picked up a book on C# from the library to aid in the learning process. its been very nice of you guys with so much experience to enlighten me. C# it is.
 
No worries - if you get stuck just ask :)
 
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