Question:
I've pretty much got BASIC figured out, so I'm looking for a new programming
language to learn. Does anyone have any ideas about what the 'best'
programming language is?
Answer:
It really depends on how you define 'best', and what you plan to do. I know that
everyone has his favorite language to love or to hate, so I expect to get lots of
arguments about my opinions. I will limit my comments to only two languages.
The commercially successful language is currently C in its various dialects which
includes C++ and Java. There is a tremendous momentum behind it and it has been
used for every kind of program you can imagine. It also appears that C/C++/Java
will be around for a long time. I think this would be the best choice for a good
all around knowledge of programming. The concepts of pointers, dynamic allocation,
and general program structure will apply to most of the currently popular languages.
For very large programs, (i.e. - more than 5 man-years or so), Ada would be an
excellent choice because of the strong typing and the compiler-enforced interfaces
between packages. For high-integrity or high-consequence software, software that
would be dangerous to people or the environment if it failed, Ada is a clear choice
in my mind for the same reasons.
Actually the best language for you depends most heavily on what you plan to do for
the rest of your programming life. Of course none of us can know that, so we can
only gather information and hopefully make a reasonable guess at it.
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