[Onivox]

So i just finished my HNC in software development.

they only taught us C++ and VB.

was wanting to know what are other good languages to learn so im prepeared for Uni or Work in the softare dev.

[oldskool]

Well this is a wide open question, but several good ones to know are C# and Java. For web development, you could do JavaScript (which isn't Java at all) and PHP, and for Linux and Windows development you could try Python. These are a few possibilities.

It all depends on what your aim is.

[S0ULphIRE]

Python together with C++ can be one of the most useful/powerful combinations, there's not much you can't do if you know them. They balance out very nicely, filling in each others limitations.

Of course if you're looking to do web development then you'll have to start learning another language, but for most other functions those two languages are very good.

[oldskool]

Interesting, Soulphire. How difficult is it to use Python and C++ in tandem ? And, is it necessary to learn C to understand C++ better, or would you say learning C++ directly is ok ? I have often heard that you should learn C to learn C++, from a better-understanding-of-C++ standpoint, that is. Your thoughts ?

[S0ULphIRE]

It's very easy to link the two, just google 'python C++' and check out some of the top links. It makes a lot of programs a **** of a lot easier to write. For instance, back in my college days, I wrote a bit of code for a remote control with C++, then wrote a controlling GUI for the pc with python.

It's not necessary to learn C to get a handle on C++, but it helps, as will learning basically any variant of C.
I started with some obscure version of C, moved on to C++, then did C then C#. Even before I started C I did assembly language, which made writing code in C seem extremely easy
I guess you should start with a simpler language, and understand it FULLY before moving on. The assembly language was the most difficult part for me, because I hadn't yet grasped the basics of programming, and the logical syntax that's required.

So yes, I would recommend learning something simpler, like C, before getting right into C++, but if you've got previous programming experience then you might want to skip it and go straight for C++

[oldskool]

Well I have Visual Basic, Java, Javascript, and a relatively small amount of SQL behind me, the first three languages I mentioned I am more proficient with. I have been learning bits and pieces of Python, but I am like most people in that I tend to learn languages by immersing myself in one at a time. I have been studying Javascript as of late.

To the OP, you could try Soulphire's suggestions, he has stated very good reasons to do so, and they make sense to me as well. Python is mentioned a lot by people at other forums as well, for being a good one to start with, and with your experience you have already, you probably should do well with it, given what has been said about Python by people experienced with it.

In response to you, Soulphire, I have learned that there are some basic logic similarities in different coding techniques that seem to go across the boards, with syntax being the differences. I know of some of the similarities you refer to so given my background I feel that I could learn Python without much problem, and C++ sounds like a go, if I so choose at some point, which I most likely will choose to do so. Thanks, Soul, for your input.

[Puddle Jumper]

Originally Posted by oldskool

Well I have Visual Basic, Java, Javascript, and a relatively small amount of SQL behind me, the first three languages I mentioned I am more proficient with. I have been learning bits and pieces of Python, but I am like most people in that I tend to learn languages by immersing myself in one at a time. I have been studying Javascript as of late.

If you know java making the jump to C++ shouldn't be very hard since they have very similar syntax.

[oldskool]

Ok, sweet, sounds good. I am not as proficient at Java as some other languages, but I am somewhat knowledgeable with it, so I will keep it in mind, PuddleJ, thanks.