What is the best programming language a 15 year old AS student should learn?

Question

first of all for all who don't know, AS stands for "advanced Standing" like accelerated classes in school, so im pretty smart.

anyways, i would LOVE to learn how to program, write software, create games and such but i don't know what is the best language to learn? i have not learned any other language at all. i have GREAT experience with computers and i know my windows 7 like the back of my hand. i heard "LEGO" was good for programming but i also hear some amazing things about c++, so what is the best programming language, and what is the best language a 15 year old should start to learn?


thank you all in advance,


-Alex

Answer 1

There is no best programming language. But C++ is the one use in making comercial games. C++ I use SDL for making 2D games, would use opengl for 3D games or a game engine,

Answer 2

Hmm... strangely I never heard of LEGO (except for the games lol)



I would suggest one of the following two

Python - as simple as it can get, and easy to learn. It has a very simple syntax, all of the blocking being given by the way you indent your code, and it's also made in such a way to be as clear as possible.



C++ on the other hand is not-so-easy to learn, and has a crappy hard to learn syntax... also, you can mess up pretty easy by putting a wrong character where it doesn't belong.



Here's some code to make an idea.



Python code:

http://www.amk.ca/python/simple/letters.html

http://code.activestate.com/recipes/576982/

C++ code

http://www.cplusplus.happycodings.com/Games/code13.html



Of these two, C++ is the most used, and it's also what people learn in schools nowadays, probably because Python is a newer language... but if it were for me, I'd start in python, and that's what I suggest for you too.



Also, if you're interested in games that much, you could try using Blender3D to make 3D games, or pygame for 2d games - those are for python, haven't been looking for what you can do with c++, you could look that yourself.



Blender3d - btw it's a free open source program, based on OpenGL graphics engine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T93HT2SU1pY&feature=PlayList&p=AB6C7CDC3622BEDB&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7RRaEvWqJc&feature=PlayList&p=AB6C7CDC3622BEDB&index=2

pygame is kinda like flash, except you lack the rich interface, and the movie clips and so, and you code into python, not action script

http://www.pygame.org/news.html

Answer 3

I would generally say an interpreted language is a good one to start. Lego Mindstorms is actually a version of the Python programming language. Logo, which is a derivative of Lisp was Lego Mindstorm's predecessor. Lisp can blow your mind. Seriously. I would say if you are Advanced Standing and 15 you should probably start with Python itself:



http://www.diveintopython.org



I should also mention -- because I haven't seen Colanth's answer here yet, he says, and everyone gets tired of hearing, you should learn programming instead of learning a programming language. He then usually links to a paper by Nicholas Wirth who is one of the great Computer Science teachers. Bluntly people get tired of hearing it because he is absolutely right. And if you are reading this, Colanth, I hope I haven't said enough to discourage you from putting it in your own inimitable way. Especially as I don't have the link.

Answer 4

Unfortunately (as I am finding out), ADHD is not one of the eligible IEP disabilities unless she is two grade levels below so she won't qualify for services unless she is tested to find out if there is any other underlying issues. You can apply for a 504 plan but, otherwise, schools are not obligated to offer assistive resources. First, you need to check into CHADD (national ADD association). They have info and the knowledge on how to get things done and what channels you need to go through. Second, and hardest, have her evaluated by an educational psychologist (it is expensive but worth it). It does not sound like her ADHD is being well managed by the meds, I have ADHD as does my son and, properly medicated, she should have at least some success with controlling her symptoms. When we started medicating my son, he still acted like a 7 yr old boy (silly, did things he shouldn't) but, like other kids of the same age, when told to stop or pay attention he was able to do it. The meds are given to "filter" out the stuff that gets in the way (the restlessness, the impulsively, the lack of concentration) of learning the same skills every other child of the same age is learning. It sounds, unfortunately, like this is not a great enviorment for ANY child and the chaos is just causing her to be more chaotic.

Answer 5

C++ is the power language.

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Tutorials online:

http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/lesson1.html

http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

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Free Electronic Books:

Thinking in C++ 2nd Edition by Bruce Eckel

Volume 1 & Volume 2

http://www.mindview.net/Books/TICPP/ThinkingInCPP2e.html

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Game Programming Tutorials:

http://www.cppgameprogramming.com/cgi/nav.cgi?page=index

http://www.toymaker.info/Games/html/beginners.html

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Code::Blocks == Open Source C/C++ IDE

http://www.codeblocks.org/downloads/binaries

codeblocks-8.02mingw-setup.exe

Answer 6

That';s like saying that you want to learn to work on cars and you want to know what the best tool to learn is. Hammers are great, but they don't turn nuts very well, and wrenches are terrible at removing spring clamps.



Learn programming first (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0130224189/ref=pd_bbs_sr_olp_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212765521&sr=8-1 ). Then you choose a programming language based on what you want to do with it. The greatest language for developing operating systems is going to be useless for developing web sites.



For gaming, your best bets - for desktop games - would be Java (not Javascript) or C++. (And maybe C#.) But learn programming first. No matter how well you know "wrench", if you don't know how a car engine works, you aren't likely to be able to fix one.

Answer 7

For Game programming i would suggest C# this way you don't have to deal with memory management and you can work with the DirectX engine. C# is very simliar to java which is used every where because of its ease of use. Get your self a free IDE like Sharp Development and just get started.