On Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:41:51 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

On 28/01/15 23:59, Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
Huge wrote:

I'd go for Python. Starting here;

https://www.python.org/about/gettingstarted/

The big drawback I found when I tried to get into Python was that
everything non-trivial needed one to find the right class to add to the
basic language.
On the one hand, it was nice to have classes already written to do more
complex things, on the other hand it's not easy for a beginner in a
particular language to judge which one of (perhaps) a multitude of
extension packages best suits a job.

I think I'd start with some simpler less extensible language where
there's a better chance of getting to grips with a much smaller range
of possible features.


Perl.

Looks like C, low overhead, do a lot without any modules and the basic
core of it's syntax is very similar to C, PHP and Java so, like Latin it
is both not quite dead, and a very useful thing to learn as it makes
learning other languages easier.

Another vote for Perl.
Also a pointer to the Perl Monks for lots of resources.

I notice that nobody has mentioned Basic, designed as an entry level
programming language and much used on the BBC Micro.
Bad memories of Microsoft's take on Basic, then VB?
Or a preference for more modern structured languages?

Cheers

Dave R

--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box