Tag: programming

Infographic: Which Programming Language Should I Learn First?

The following was on Carl Cheo’s site and included here in the event it moves.  Please respect the author and look at the original site and all the material there.

Before choosing your first programming language, you should also check out this infographic on What Is Programming And What Do Programmers Do.

So you want to learn programming. Maybe you have asked your developer friends for recommendations and get different answers. They explained with terms that you don’t understand (what is object-oriented?!). To help you to pick your first programming language to learn, here is an easy-to-understand infographic that recommends the best option, depending on your purpose and interest. Details such as learning difficulty, popularity, and average salary for each computer programming language are provided too.

I have also compiled a list of best programming tools and resources for each programming language, to help you get started quickly.

Special thanks to Prithviraj Udaya for allowing me to use his awesome The Lord of the Rings analogy on Quora.

Note: A good programmer must know at least a few programming languages to learn different ways to approach problems. They continue to learn and grow as technology advances. This is just the beginning of your programming journey. Simply pick one and start coding now!

Most good programmers do programming not because they expect to get paid or get adulation by the public, but because it is fun to program.

– Linus Torvalds (creator of Linux)

 

which-programming-language-should-i-learn-first-infographic

Get the PDF version here.

Mashable and Lynda.com Suggest The Top Programming Languages to Learn in 2014

Why put this article in?  On my list for 2014 is completing a language learning course, even in a language I already know.  Time to get through a course to refresh myself or try something new.

I may not have a chance to learn one of these, based on my requirements for the year, but then I may.  Will let you know.

Programming jobs paying significantly more than the average position. Even beyond the tech world, an understanding of at least one programming language makes an impressive addition to any resumé.

The in-vogue languages vary by employment sector. Financial and enterprise systems need to perform complicated functions and remain highly organized, requiring languages like Java and C#. Media- and design-related webpages and software will require dynamic, versatile and functional languages with minimal code, such as Ruby, PHP, JavaScript and Objective-C.

With some help from Lynda.com, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the most sought-after programming languages to get you up to speed.

1. Java

What it is: Java is a class-based, object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in the 1990s. It’s one of the most in-demand programming languages, a standard for enterprise software, web-based content, games and mobile apps, as well as the Androidoperating system. Java is designed to work across multiple software platforms, meaning a program written on Mac OS X, for example, could also run on Windows.

Where to learn it: Udemy, Lynda.com, Oracle.com, LearnJavaOnline.org.

2. C Language

What it is: A general-purpose, imperative programming language developed in the early ’70s, C is the oldest and most widely used language, providing the building blocks for other popular languages, such as C#, Java, JavaScript and Python. C is mostly used for implementing operating systems and embedded applications.

Because it provides the foundation for many other languages, it is advisable to learn C (and C++) before moving on to others.

Where to learn it: Learn-C, Introduction To Programming, Lynda.com, CProgramming.com,Learn C The Hard Way.

3. C++

What it is: C++ is an intermediate-level language with object-oriented programming features, originally designed to enhance the C language. C++ powers major software like Firefox, Winampand Adobe programs. It’s used to develop systems software, application software, high-performance server and client applications and video games.

Where to learn it: Udemy, Lynda.com, CPlusPlus.com, LearnCpp.com, CProgramming.com.

4. C#

What it is: Pronounced "C-sharp," C# is a multi-paradigm language developed by Microsoft as part of its .NET initiative. Combining principles from C and C++, C# is a general-purpose language used to develop software for Microsoft and Windows platforms.

Where to learn it: Udemy, Lynda.com, Microsoft Virtual Academy, TutorialsPoint.com.

5. Objective-C

What it is: Objective-C is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language used by theApple operating system. It powers Apple’s OS X and iOS, as well as its APIs, and can be used to create iPhone apps, which has generated a huge demand for this once-outmoded programming language.

Where to learn it: Udemy, Lynda.com, Mac Developer Library, Cocoa Dev Central, Mobile Tuts+.

6. PHP

What it is: PHP (Hypertext Processor) is a free, server-side scripting language designed for dynamic websites and app development. It can be directly embedded into an HTML source document rather than an external file, which has made it a popular programming language for web developers. PHP powers more than 200 million websites, including WordPress, Digg andFacebook.

Where to learn it: Udemy, Codecademy, Lynda.com, Treehouse, Zend Developer Zone,PHP.net.

7. Python

What it is: Python is a high-level, server-side scripting language for websites and mobile apps. It’s considered a fairly easy language for beginners due to its readability and compact syntax, meaning developers can use fewer lines of code to express a concept than they would in other languages. It powers the web apps for Instagram, Pinterest and Rdio through its associated web framework, Django, and is used by Google, Yahoo! and NASA.

Where to learn it: Udemy, Codecademy, Lynda.com, LearnPython.org, Python.org.

8. Ruby

What it is: A dynamic, object-oriented scripting language for developing websites and mobile apps, Ruby was designed to be simple and easy to write. It powers the Ruby on Rails (or Rails) framework, which is used on Scribd, GitHub, Groupon and Shopify. Like Python, Ruby is considered a fairly user-friendly language for beginners.

Where to learn it: Codecademy, Code School, TryRuby.org, RubyMonk.

9. JavaScript

What it is: JavaScript is a client and server-side scripting language developed by Netscape that derives much of its syntax from C. It can be used across multiple web browsers and is considered essential for developing interactive or animated web functions. It is also used in game development and writing desktop applications. JavaScript interpreters are embedded in Google’s Chrome extensions, Apple’s Safari extensions, Adobe Acrobat and Reader, and Adobe’s Creative Suite.

Where to learn it: Codecademy, Lynda.com, Code School, Treehouse, Learn-JS.org.

SEE ALSO: Is JavaScript the Future of Programming?

10. SQL

What it is: Structured Query Language (SQL) is a special-purpose language for managing data in relational database management systems. It is most commonly used for its "Query" function, which searches informational databases. SQL was standardized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the 1980s.

Where to learn it: Lynda.com, SQLCourse.com, TutorialsPoint.com, SQLZoo.net.

Standing Workstations: Sitting down all day is killing you

Get off your butt and make some tea if you want to live

By Simon Sharwood, Posted in Science, 27th March 2012 07:11 GMT

I am writing this blog entry at a standing workstation which a lot of people still view as an oddity despite the data provided in each study that is being published.  I realize this is published on The Register and that makes it always worth investigating, the study is remarkably similar to those I have reviewed before.

A study of more than 220,000 people aged 45 or more has come to a startling conclusion: sitting down all day is killing you.

The 45 and Up study compared mortality rates among those who sit for many hours a day and those who spend less time perched on their posterior.

The study used “… questionnaire data from 222 497 individuals 45 years or older from the 45 and Up Study to mortality data from the New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Australia) from February 1, 2006, through December 31, 2010.”

The news is bad if you spend more than 11 hours a day sitting: your chance of leaving this plane of existence in the next three years is 40% higher than those who spend less time on their behinds. Even those who sit for just eight hours a day have a 15% “better” chance of death.

The dangers of sitting are not only related to a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. The study also hints at more profound physiological issues created by sitting for many hours a day, as doing so means the body is deprived of many internal triggers that spark beneficial actions in the body. Even standing a few more times a day, the research says, can therefore improve health. Hence our plea for tea in the subheading.

"Shorter sitting times and sufficient physical activity are independently protective against all-cause mortality not just for healthy individuals but also for those with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, overweight, or obesity," the study’s authors wrote in Archives of Internal Medicine, where the results of the study were published this week.

If you’re sitting while reading this, what are you waiting for?

Pianobar Console Client for Pandora

I use a lot of older machines for this and that activity and along with using Fluxbox for a lightweight Windows Manager or XFCE as a lightweight Desktop Manager I am always watching my System Monitor to see what else I can offload to lighten the load or increase the responsiveness of my computer.

Yesterday I noticed the CPU fan was stuck on high as Pandora running inside Chrome had managed to consume all the CPU and Memory in the machine AND it was paused waiting for me to tell it I was “Still Listening”.  This one due.

Enter Pianobar which I loaded from the Ubuntu Software Center for ease (and to stop saying Synaptic Package Manager, for no reason at all) of installation.  While it doesn’t support signing up for a Pandora account, it does everything else and the load on the CPU and the memory is absolutely negligible.  Just a reminder for me that the Command Line is indeed a good place to remember.

Try it and have a great time keeping your machine buzzing at top performance, of course, you will miss the cute ads and album covers, and I am not sure if I can click LIKE/DISLIKE to tune, but for normal use it is sweet.