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Name: Christine
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Around 1995
Question:
I am interested in computer programming and I would like to know where to start. I have heard about BASIC and COBOL and C and C++, but what are they? I would also like to know what other computer languages are "out there", and how to use them.


Replies:
BASIC is a good place to start. Besides the ones you mentioned, are FORTRAN and PASCAL. Once you master BASIC, try C, it is the most common, but rather difficult.

Hawley
Update - May 2010
If you are looking for a programming language to learn, remember that most of the concepts in the modern day languages are in all of the major languages. I would try to learn the concepts first in one language that you are familiar with, and then learn new languages. Languages sometimes go out of style after a while, but if you learn the logic and the concepts you should be able to pick up the new one.

To start, I would recommend Java, C#, or VB.NET as those seem to be big right now, but it all depends on what you want to do. VB.NET is most likely the easiest. For example, if you are looking into making websites, you will want to know HTML. If you want to do fancy website things, you might want to know about JavaScript, ASP.NET, or PHP. It all depends.

PG

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