I want a job in programming, whats the best language to train in?

I've only programmed in Basic, and some very little in C++, C++ not good for anything graphical.





Looked at Java a bit, but so many to choose from

I want a job in programming, whats the best language to train in?
If you want a job in programming, the first thing you need to do is to learn to think like a programmer. So if you're just starting out you should learn with a nice, simple language first to gain experience with solving problems using code. Once you have learned some basic principles of how to solve problems in this way, all languages become easy. How? Well, you will ask yourself, what is the thing that I want to my software to do? Once you have that, you will ask: how will I get this to happen? Once you have planned out your code in this way, on paper, you then look into the library of the language, be it C++ or Java or whatever, and find the commands that will allow you to implement this.





So, what language is best to learn about programming? I would suggest Python. It is simple, and high-level. High-level means that the language is readable and looks a bit like a human language (as opposed to, say, machine code, which we would find hard to interpret). As well as being simple and logical, however, it is very powerful. Python is said to be the favorite language among Google developers, as it enables them to prototype software very quickly in a logical way. They will then easily port this software using equivalent commands in, say, Java.





Once you have learned Python to an intermediate level, you will feel confident to look up a command in another language, and you will most likely be struck by the similarities between what you already know and the command in the language you don't know.





Later on, you will feel confident in looking up libraries to help you accomplish a particular task. You mention, for instance, graphics and images. C++ is perfectly well equipped to handle graphics (as are Python and Java), and once you have learned some basics, you will be able to do a quick search about the different ways in which you can display an image and do things with it. You will be able to read example source code, understand it, and implement it in your own software.





So, where to start? First thing, if you are going down the Python-as- a-way-of- learning-to-program, is to install Python. I would have a look at both http://python.org and http://diveintopython.org for easy instructions about installing Python on your platform.





Next, get a tutorial. I love diveintopython.org as a good, intelligent tutorial with plenty of examples, and you should certainly have a look at this. In your case, though, I think you would really do well with 'How to think like a computer scientist: learning with Python', available for free at http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/





If you get to the end of chapter 20, and there's no reason why you wouldn't, you will be a strong programmer, and more importantly, you will have learned that you can apply basic principles to all programming languages. You can then begin trying little bits of code in whatever language you fancy, using a basic tutorial here or there, and you will be able to say to a potential employer that you can program in many languages, as you have the underlying skills required to solve a problem in code.





Remember, it's the way you think about the problem that is important, the language itself is not!





Hope that helps.
Reply:For Windows GUI, C# is the best, but I'd learn C++ if you plan on doing anything else.
Reply:The easiest is Visual Basic but the best is C++. If you don't wan't to use microsoft products you can change the C++ with Java.
Reply:Java is the best because it is the newest.Plus it is most used now.
Reply:U learn C++ u learn all C/Java too.
Reply:The following algorithm will help you with your choice:


1. GOTO Hi-Tech job search engine as, say, monster.com


2. SELECT the most popular language in the market.


3. IF you are satisfied, DONE


4. SWITCH to another Hi-Tech job search engine.


5. GOTO 1
Reply:C# is quickly becoming in demand...


It's a very comprehensive language.
Reply:i suggest php
Reply:I have been told that Cisco is in demand.
Reply:In short, all of them. :D





A programmer's biggest selling point is that they know almost all code, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and when to use them based on those strengths and weaknesses.





Learn everything you can, the more you know, the more useful you are.
Reply:C/C++





Other than Assembly language, C/C++ is used for almost all games and more!





EDITED TO ADD:


As mentioned by egocentrical, C# (C-Sharp) is up and coming, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_Sharp
Reply:I would suggest learning some .NET, under which you can utilize just about any programming language. My favorite language to use is Python, and under .NET an implementation called IronPython exists, w00t.
Reply:By the time you learn it it will all have changed. Java is a good start but there are multiple Java's. Big demand for ASP.NET. Good luck

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