<p>Any use in learning Perl? I'm going for BME.</p>
<p>If I were going to learn to program, I would learn something else. C++, Java, even Python. For more interesting choices, perhaps Haskell, Scheme, or Prolog.</p>
<p>I guess if you are really into web stuff, there are worse choices than Perl.</p>
<p>Well I can say that C/C++ would probably be the most useful, as many other languages are based structurally on C. If you are looking for something similar in function to Perl, I would definitely hit Python instead. Perl is an older language that is a bit awkward because its object-orientedness was added in as an afterthought, whereas Python was built from the ground up as an object-oriented language. I know that at work (Rolls-Royce) both are used, but the trend is shifting towards Python.</p>
<p>Perl is by far my favorite language. It’s easy to pick up but is still extremely powerful. If you’re interested, give it a shot!</p>
<p>With that said, I have no idea what you’ll actually end up using. Perl is useful for CGI scripting, but C would offer the best general grounding. I can’t see why anyone would use Python for anything, but I suppose it has its virtues.</p>
<p>Ideally you should learn a few languages in addition to Perl.</p>
<p>I’ve never programmed in it, but I hear that Python is a good language to learn with.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>C/C++ are filthy programming languages. You have to know stuff about how data is represented inside of a computer to program anything with them. Something like Python would be a more pleasant introduction.</p>
<p>I think Java would be the best all-around. It has most of the benefits of C++ and of Python, and few of their drawbacks, at least as far as a novice programmer is concerned.</p>
<p>Why don’t we put it to a vote. Everybody rank the following list of programming languages for the novice programmer:</p>
<p>Ada
C
C++
Fortran
Java
Perl
Prolog
Python
Scheme
Visual Basic</p>
<p>Here’s my ranking:</p>
<p>Ada (5)
C (7)
C++ (2)
Fortran (9)
Java (1)
Perl (8)
Prolog (10)
Python (4)
Scheme (6)
Visual Basic (3)</p>
<p>If a few other people do it, you can add up the scores and see which one has the highest composite.</p>
<p>Ada - never used it
C - 6, useful but archaic and unpleasant to work with
C++ - 3, most of C’s virtues with a bit less pain
Fortran - never used
Java - 4, not too hard to pick up
Perl - 2, I found it very easy to learn and fun to work with
Prolog - never used
Python - 5, I found it overrated and surprisingly difficult to learn
Ruby - 1, extremely easy to learn and very friendly to use
Scheme - never used (but I plan to try it soon)
Visual Basic - just say NO to drugs</p>
<p>I would go with Java, C++, C, then Prolog in that order (those are the only I’ve used from your list). I remember writing a maze solver in Prolog that was not very intuitive… so I’d stay far away from that language until you’re much more experienced. One language that wasn’t mentioned is C#. I prefer it quite a bit over Java…</p>
<p>Ah yes, Ruby. I forgot about that one. I would give that a solid 4, and bump all the others up by one. We’ll let noimagination’s questionable scores follow mine except put VB at last, so
Ada - 7
Fortran - 9
Prolog - 10
Scheme - 8
Visual Basic - 11</p>
<p>So, we have:</p>
<p>Ada (6 + 7 = 13)
C (8 + 6 = 14)
C++ (2 + 3 = 5)
Fortran (10 + 9 = 19)
Java (1 + 4 = 5)
Perl (9 + 2 = 11)
Prolog (11 + 10 = 21)
Python (5 + 5 = 10)
Ruby (4 + 1 = 5)
Scheme (7 + 8 = 15)
Visual Basic (3 + 11 = 14)</p>
<p>So far, we have three clusters:</p>
<p>Good:
C++, Java, Ruby</p>
<p>Average:
Ada, C, Perl, Python, Scheme, Visual Basic</p>
<p>Poor:
Fortran, Prolog</p>
<p>The more posts we get from other users, the more significant these sorts of figures will become. Come on, other people! Languages for new general-purpose programmers.</p>
<p>I like how asking everyone’s opinion on which program is the best is not a whole lot better than asking which college is the best or which religion is right. There will never be a right answer that anyone can agree on.</p>
<p>Also… POST 300!!!</p>
<p>I took Fortran in my second quarter of my freshman year. I hated it. It was dull and useless.</p>
<p>i used C++ first and then Pearl and i found it very similar. Therefore, i think if you learn Pearl C++ should be okay.</p>
<p>Oh thanks a lot everyone!!! Someone was giving away free Perl books (but I didn’t get there in time to catch it unfortunately) and that’s why I was wondering if Perl was useful. So, I’m off learning C++ first.</p>
<p>I did a little bit of Visual Basic 6, but that’s really old coding. I think there’s Basic .NET now right? I’m not sure. </p>
<p>I think I heard somewhere that Ruby and Perl are like the same thing? Am I completely wrong?</p>
<p>
But there is a wrong one (VB) ;)</p>
<p>Ruby has some similarities to Perl, but it is purely object-oriented and has a more natural syntax. The downside? It doesn’t perform as well (and lacks some of Perl’s text processing abilities), but that probably isn’t a concern when you’re just starting with it.</p>
<p>You can get Learning Perl online for free [legally]. I bought a used copy of Programming Perl, and I love it.</p>
<p>C++ is a fine choice to start with.</p>
<p>I think C++ will do you well.</p>
<p>Just remember to take it slow, and don’t forget that it’s an OO language.</p>