[ale] [OT] First Programming Language for Adult??

[leam hall]

I'd say Python is a good language to learn unless she really wants web
stuff. Then PHP or Javascript.

Avoid C shell, C (for a while), and most anything else. With Python, PHP,
or JS you can make something useful that works, fairly quickly. With each
of the communities for those languages she can probably find a few like
minds.

Leam



On Thu, May 29, 2014 at 3:17 PM, Tom Freeman <tfreeman at intel.digichem.net>
wrote:

>
> My apologies for using up people's bandwidth for something not really
> linux, but this list is the best resource I know of for access to computer
> people with an insane breadth of backgrounds and opinions. And they are
> willing to share.
>
> A few days ago my daughter asked for an opinion as to a computer language
> for her to learn. No, she doesn't have a project in mind, which would have
> at least focused the discussion a little bit. She is a university
> librarian, however, should that have any bearing on the discussion. She has
> access to a moderate amount of materials for "Alice", which apparently her
> school uses for programming introduction.
>
> My advice, which should be considered highly flawed, was to take advantage
> of the "Alice" materials as a first, quick step. Follow that with perhaps
> either some work in Python or Java, with the Java due to her constant
> involvement in tiny web projects.
>
> If the Python or Java settles, and the itch continues, I was suggesting a
> second language, possibly data base oriented for the library work, or
> something derived from either FORTH or LISP for the mind expansion
> properties. As yet another alternative - cshell(?) since she prefers the
> macintoy.
>
> (I had a relative utterly in love with FORTH and very good at it also.
> Unfortunately, he thought _everybody_ should program in it... Not a very
> successful idea unfortunately.)
>
> The multipart question here seems to be:
> 1) Is there a proper solid resource for building some programming skill
> that I should have know about and don't?
> 2) Did I suggest a moderately reasonable approach in the eyes of people
> who _actaully_ program?
> 3) Is there probably a better approach I should have known about?
>
> Thanks to all for the use of their bandwidth.
>
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-- 
Mind on a Mission <http://leamhall.blogspot.com/>
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