Which progamming language is easier for beginners? Ive been told that Python is the best for beginners but Java seems to be more popular and widely used, even my high school offers Java classes. I will be taking Computer Science as a major since really nothing else interests me, rather than taking a major that will be boring, stale and having my feel regretful (especially Business/Finance).

FYI: I have been tweaking and learning with Python recently.

Malongo

Chile3479 Posts

April 01 2009 05:34 GMT

I learned java, easy to me at least. Im not sure about python but java has a shitload of tutorials and interesting applications. Once you learn the basic alghoritms (conditionals, loops and variable types) you can switch to almost any language with little problems.

EsX_Raptor

United States2802 Posts

April 01 2009 05:36 GMT

go for java man trust me xD

I've programmed in both and i find it to be the most comfortable out of the two.

(im a junior CS major if youre wondering)

messengerASL

United States109 Posts

April 01 2009 05:37 GMT

Don't take computer science as a major just because nothing else interests you. You won't do as well in life later on if that's the case. You need to major in something that you love. It's like this. The major that interests you is out there, you just haven't run into it yet or you haven't researched enough.

On average, a college student changes majors 3-4 times during his academic stint.

There's scripters and there's compiled language programmers. If you choose one route, it tends to shape your preference later in life, so choose carefully. People in industry tend to "not" have high opinions of scripters. And scripters tend to think compiled language programmers complicate things.

All of these points are moot, if you're luke-warm (not excited) about computer science. Try business or some other majors. Try to find the major that will interest you.

caelym

United States6430 Posts

April 01 2009 05:42 GMT

java is way better for beginners. it's very organized and structured, which makes it easy to learn. once you learn the basics of programming from java, you can pick up other languages quite easily.

Jonoman92

United States9110 Posts

April 01 2009 05:43 GMT

hey messengerASL I don't know if you have been asked, but what is your identity? I see on ICCUP you're at least a half-way decent SC player. I know your benefactor is secret, but who are you?

-I think that's good advice btw. I'd go with Java but I've never actually used Python sooo yea.

thunk

United States6233 Posts

April 01 2009 05:45 GMT

Can't really go wrong with Python, everyone knows it, even beginners. It's a pretty balanced map, and is about as standard as one can get. It's the bread and butter map of this era.

Never heard of Java. Hasn't ever been used in any major league, has it? Probably suffers from some major imbalances and it falls of the normal gamer's knowledge.

thunk

United States6233 Posts

April 01 2009 05:45 GMT

And I do know that this is really about programming languages.

EsX_Raptor

United States2802 Posts

April 01 2009 05:46 GMT

on a side note id recommend you take c++

way better than those two

ZeroCartin

Costa Rica2390 Posts

April 01 2009 05:47 GMT

#10

Byzantium ftw

SpiritoftheTunA

United States20903 Posts

April 01 2009 06:04 GMT

#11

python is overplayed as fuck

imDerek

United States1944 Posts

April 01 2009 06:13 GMT

#12

Learn Java for half a year first, then do Python and/or C++

Mastermind

Canada7096 Posts

April 01 2009 06:16 GMT

#13

My university is going to be changing their first year Java course to Python because Python is easier for beginners. Having said that, I love programming in Java. It is a great language compared to something like C. Java is also fairly common in industry whereas Python isnt from what I understand.

IzzyCraft

United States4487 Posts

April 01 2009 06:20 GMT

#14

Java/C++ is a very common first languages to learn. python is fun to know but consider something like PHP FORTRAN etc

Divinek

Canada4045 Posts

April 01 2009 06:22 GMT

#15

java is wayyyy more useful, just learn java it's better. Java is harder but from my experience it's more of a leading language and applets are just awesome..

Also java gives you much clearer error messages, even if its lack of multiple inheritence is lame

JakNcoke

United States2 Posts

April 01 2009 06:26 GMT

#16

quite honestly in beginning stages both are quite simple. Just learn the one which you find syntactically more appealing and go from there.

benjammin

United States2728 Posts

April 01 2009 06:30 GMT

#17

python by far

shmay

United States1091 Posts

April 01 2009 06:34 GMT

#18

http://www.reddit.com/comments/6pogg/reddit_which_programming_language_is_best_for
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=428095

python or ruby seems the best just to learn the basics. i personally recommend http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/ (ruby). python and ruby are both very good for web development, if you're into that, and a great for general scripting

once you have the basics down, id say learn java and build apps for Android (and possibly make some money doing that, eventually)

Llamaz

Australia90 Posts

April 01 2009 06:40 GMT

#19

Wow...Python >>>>>>>>>>> Java for beginners.
Java > Python if you have more experiance...but C++ > java.

I have no idea how comfortable you are with programming, but if you've done a bit before, I reccommend you learn basic C++ first (a week at most, probably less) then learn from http://lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/index.php (SDL = graphics library). It exemplifies why object oriented programming is soo much easier, and develops good programming habits.

C++/Java are more useful to learn than Python.

So to conclude, if you are already familiar with an outline, or structure of programming languages, then choose C++/Java (C++ > Java. If you can learn Java you can learn C++), but if you are just starting programming choose python (easier, cleaner).

With that said, I suggest you don't take advice from ANYONE in this forum, including me. Go to a programming forum. People giving advice to you here probably haven't even tried to learn a programming language.

Slithe

United States985 Posts

April 01 2009 06:53 GMT

#20

On April 01 2009 15:20 IzzyCraft wrote:
Java/C++ is a very common first languages to learn. python is fun to know but consider something like PHP FORTRAN etc

Umm... why FORTRAN?

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