[oclug] Easiest and most useful language to learn?

[Chris Nolan]

	I haven't looked too hard at it yet, but you might start with
"Mindstorms" from lego.

http://www.legomindstorms.com/

	You can get a little R2-D2 unit (from starwars) and it comes with a
little standalone computer that has a simple language in it.  You can learn
about input, output and loops.  And probably if-then-else's too.  And you'd
get a cool toy out of it too.

	I've been meaning to pick one up and try it out and if it's good I
was going to give it to my kid brother (he's 8) to get him started.  And
then I'd by the $300 InventionSystem which interfaces to the PC, and a gui,
and you can add Vision sensing and a bunch of other cool stuff.

	Perhaps others on the list have played with it and can share their
experiences?

	But I concur with Francis and you need to have a goal, or a project
for a programming task.  You can't just sit down and write a program.  You
want to have the computer do something for you first in order for it to be
good.  If it's like Francis and you want to see the stars, or what I built
up to was hyper-dimension visualization tools after much ground work with
simple for loops and fractals etc.

Chris Nolan

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blashy - none - [mailto:blashy at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 12:26
> To: oclug at lists.oclug.on.ca
> Subject: [oclug] Easiest and most usefull language to learn?
> 
> 
> I've asked a similar question in the past at one of the meetings.
> 
> But now I send it to this list.
> 
> I have NO programming experience.
> 
> I would like to see if programming is something I would be 
> intersted in.
> 
> What would be the easiest language to learn AND that is at 
> the same time a 
> very usefull language in today's work place?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Ricky