[oclug] Easiest and most usefull language to learn?

[Mike Kenzie]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sandy Harris" <sandy at storm.ca>
To: <oclug at lists.oclug.on.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 2:49 PM
Subject: Re: [oclug] Easiest and most usefull language to
learn?


> Blashy - none - wrote:
> >
> > 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?
>
> "Useful in the workplace" is not remarkably important in
terms of getting things
> done. Any competent programmer can learn almost any new
language (perhaps not
> something with an idiosyncratic approach like Prolog or
APL) in at most a couple
> of weeks. That said, the right langiage may be extremely
useful on a resume.

APL is not idiosyncratic is is elegant and simple it's all
the others that are strange.

>
> If your goal is to understand computers and programming
deeply, I'd say start with
> the Scheme dialect of LISP. There are many free
implementations at:
>
> http://www.cs.indiana.edu/scheme-repository/home.html
>
> Scheme is simpler than other dialects of LISP and widely
used in teaching.
> MIT has a first year course, required for all Engineering
or Computer Science
> students, that uses Scheme exclusively. The textbook,
Sussman et al. "Structure
> and Interpretation of Computer Programs" is widely
available and excellent.

I've tried LISP before using the one in emacs but it never
made sense.  Does anyone have some functional code that has
been annotated?