convince me

[Kyle Babich]

Will Ware <wware at alum.mit.edu> wrote in message news:<3D4FC1BA.FA2EFF65 at alum.mit.edu>...
> Kyle Babich wrote:
> > Well, I'm 15 years old looking to have a future in programming.  I've
> > been playing around with the basics of a few different languages (C,
> > C++, Perl, Python, and Java).  I know I want to learn C, but as far as
> > perl and python I'm trying to decide which.
> 
> Learn them all. No kidding. Learning a language just isn't that hard.
> Your ability to learn should not be viewed as a scarce resource to be
> carefully controlled, just go ahead and learn everything.
> 
> Java and Perl are popular today. That might change when you're ready to
> enter the workforce. You have time now, use it to stay flexible. Learn
> underlying principles. Syntax is cheap, anybody can learn it.
> 
> Add more languages to your list: Common Lisp, Scheme, Haskell,
> Smalltalk.
> Play with exotic languages that nobody uses. Even Brainf*ck has
> something
> to teach you (http://www.muppetlabs.com/~breadbox/bf/) about fundamental
> principles of computer science.
> 
> If your finances permit, pick up a single-board computer with a hex
> keypad where you enter machine language instructions by hand. Make it
> do some tricks.
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2042778817

I would rather be devoted to one or two languages than know a little
bit of everything and a lot of nothing.  I think python is the future
though because python can be taught to, well, people even younger than
me.  It seems powerful, and I like how the language itself is simple
and everything is in the modules.  Because of this I think future
versions will run even faster than perl.  Right now it seems like
python's only downfall is also one of it's advantages- the simple
structure.  I've noticed that some other programmers consider python
just a stepping stone language and nothing more because of its ease. 
Either way, I think python is for me.