Choosing the Best Programming Language for Beginners

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kajahtava
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the best programming languages for beginners, focusing on the merits and drawbacks of languages such as C, C++, Python, Perl, and others. Participants explore various perspectives on language suitability based on different programming goals, such as automation, software development, and conceptual understanding.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that C and C++ are not ideal for beginners due to their complexity and the necessity of understanding low-level computer operations.
  • Others suggest that languages like Python and Perl are more accessible for beginners, as they allow for straightforward programming without deep technical knowledge.
  • There is a viewpoint that while C offers excellent performance, it is often misused for tasks better suited to other languages, leading to poor programming practices.
  • Some participants emphasize the elegance and structured nature of languages like Scheme, Haskell, and APL, suggesting they promote better programming habits.
  • One participant mentions that C is still widely used and that its limitations can be understood with experience, arguing for its continued relevance in programming education.
  • Concerns are raised about the use of outdated resources like K&R for learning C, with suggestions for more modern and structured approaches to teaching the language.
  • There is a discussion about memory management in C, with some participants asserting that modern practices have evolved beyond manual memory allocation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the suitability of C and C++ for beginners, with some advocating for their use and others strongly opposing it. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing views on the best programming languages for newcomers.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the importance of context in choosing a programming language, noting that the choice may depend on specific goals, prior experience, and the intended application of the programming skills.

  • #31


Kajahtava said:
That is why I listed C# under higher order. But C and C++ are most definitely not higher order, functions are not first-class there.
That is a very narrow and extremely non-standard definition of "high order language". By any rational account C and C++ are high order (or rather, high-level) languages. You can take an ANSI-C compliant program from a Linux machine to a Mac, a Windows machine, a Cray, or a Harvard architecture machine, and so long as an ANSI-compliant C compiler exists for that machine, the program will execute on that machine.
 
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  • #32


D H said:
That is a very narrow and extremely non-standard definition of "high order language". By any rational account C and C++ are high order (or rather, high-level) languages. You can take an ANSI-C compliant program from a Linux machine to a Mac, a Windows machine, a Cray, or a Harvard architecture machine, and so long as an ANSI-compliant C compiler exists for that machine, the program will execute on that machine.
I take it you do not know what the term higher order means from this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higher-order_function
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higher_order_programming

But that's okay, because wiki to the rescue.

Higher order has nothing to do with high level, though invariably higher order languages are fairly high level. Though some'd argue that Lisps are in fact fairly low level due to their homo-iconicity.

It's also as much a paradigm as a language-type.
 

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