programming-for-dummies

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The Programming Language of the Future
However, some Visual Basic programmers have switched to REALbasic,
which not only can run older versions of Visual Basic programs but can also
compile them to run on multiple operating systems, such as Windows,
Macintosh, and Linux.
All this means that the latest version of Visual Basic has lost much of its
appeal to programmers. Think of the current version of Visual Basic as an
easier version of C#. If you don’t want to learn C#, learn Visual Basic. If you
already know older versions of Visual Basic, learn REALbasic.
The scripting languages
Traditional programming languages, like C and BASIC, are known as systems
languages because they’re used to create programs, like word processors and
spreadsheets. As a programmer, learn at least one systems language, such as
C++, but make sure you also learn a second language so the syntax of one particular
programming language doesn’t restrict your ability to think about programming
in general. Some people learn a second systems programming
language, like BASIC, but others prefer learning a scripting language instead.
Scripting languages, such as Perl, Tcl, JavaScript, and Python, are often used
to connect, or glue, various components together, such as a Web page interface
with a database. As a result, scripting languages are designed to solve
problems that traditional languages aren’t very good at. With more companies
needing Web applications, there will be more opportunities for work.
More important, figuring out scripting languages to build Web pages also
translates into creating rich Internet applications. The odds are greater that
you’ll need to use a scripting language more than you’ll ever need to use C++,
so learning any scripting language is crucial for your future as a programmer.
The best programming language
Finding the best programming language to learn is like finding the perfect car;
everyone’s needs are different. At the very least, learn one systems programming
language (such as C++), one scripting language (such as JavaScript), and
one database language (such as SQL). Because you’ll likely have more opportunities
for writing rich Internet applications than systems programs, like
operating systems or word processors, rich Internet application programming
is likely the wave of the future, so be sure you understand different Web page
languages such as HTML and Flash.
As long as you arm yourself with programming knowledge of a variety of languages,
such as C++, JavaScript, and SQL, you can get a job practically anywhere
and your skills can be transferred easily to other languages that may
become popular in the near future.