What is the best language?

[Red Cobra]

What is the best language: Java,C++,C+,C(i dont know if these are the same or not),Python? I want to make programs for my comp and also patches for bzflag.

[Inferno]

Python rocks, oh and perl is even better

[RPG]

What is the best language: Java,C++,C+,C(i dont know if these are the same or not),Python? I want to make programs for my comp and also patches for bzflag.

You're gonna get biased opinions on this, because people who only know one language will give their recommendation to that one. You also forgot that BZFlag is written in C++ and not Java.

It's great to be ambitious, but read a couple of books and get some background knowledge about the programming language you want to learn before you start to ask questions out the ying yang.

[cookiecutter]

I voted for Java, because I am taking a course in it. Other than that I have no programming experience.

[L4m3r]

I took an AP course in Java in high school for a year. Now that I'm in college, we're starting C++... and let me tell you, after three weeks I already love C++ way more than java.

[Rebel Chik0rita]

100 Rem "response to a forum thread about the best computer language"
200 Print "BASIC!"
300 Print "wo0"
400 Goto line 300
500 End


heehe

sorry about all the spamm ;)

[A Meteorite]

C++. C++ is faster than Java and you can probably do more. BZFlag is written in C++ so learning Java or Python won't help you make patches. (not only that C++ can be easier to learn than Java - trust me I took a Java course)

[JeffM]

there is no such thing as C+

Learn to program first, then worry about the langauge. The language is just a tool, the hard part is doing the programing, not geting the text right.

before you do something understand what it is you are trying to do

[cosmos]

What is the best language: Java,C++,C+,C(i dont know if these are the same or not),Python? I want to make programs for my comp and also patches for bzflag.

ok old timers what language is this?

HELLO: PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);

/* A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT */
FLAG = 0;

LOOP: DO WHILE (FLAG = 0);
PUT SKIP DATA('LINUX CAUSES CANCER!');
END LOOP;

END HELLO;

[cookiecutter]

C++ was the bzflag player I tried to mimic in order to become good

[Guest]

Ridiculous question really.
Every language has strengths and weaknesses and some are more suited to certain things than other.

[The Vaxorcist]

What is the best language: Java,C++,C+,C(i dont know if these are the same or not),Python? I want to make programs for my comp and also patches for bzflag.

ok old timers what language is this?

HELLO: PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);

/* A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT */
FLAG = 0;

LOOP: DO WHILE (FLAG = 0);
PUT SKIP DATA('LINUX CAUSES CANCER!');
END LOOP;

END HELLO;

Wild guess: fortran?

How 'bout this:

Code: Select all

CODE_SEG               SEGMENT

              ASSUME CS:CODE_SEG,DS:CODE_SEG,ES:CODE_SEG
              ORG 100H
START:    MOV AH, 2
              MOV DL,5AH
              INT 21H
EXIT:       INT 20H
CODE_SEG               ENDS
              END START

Should be easier than cosmos'.

As for a language to learn, Python might be easier to learn: http://python.org/ but this package might be easier http://activestate.com/Python.plex?hdr=1. However,It might be hard to get flashy enough results for you to get hooked. Java is probably the best in the 'flashy' catagory, but don't get me ranting about it, I absolutly HATE Java. C - Don't bother to learn until after you learn C++. C++, Is great, but to do anything interesting you need to get into the right circles. If you want to write patches, C++ is the only way to go. Scour your library for books on game programming if you want to write patches, BZFlag uses opengl, not directx, but read all the books you can find.

[jnev]

im taking an ap course in java this year, but from what little experiance i have with c++ it's a lot better. java is too slow.

[cosmos]

ok old timers what language is this?

HELLO: PROCEDURE OPTIONS (MAIN);

/* A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT */
FLAG = 0;

LOOP: DO WHILE (FLAG = 0);
PUT SKIP DATA('LINUX CAUSES CANCER!');
END LOOP;

END HELLO;

Wild guess: fortran?

a good try...it is PL/1 which was the first language they taught us on mainframes...yes mainframes, during college. The fondest memory is that if you turned off the IBM 3270 terminal under the right light you could read all the previous years code that had burned into the screen!

teehee!

--cosmos

[Para_Shooter]

I don't know about the best programming language, but the best BZFLAG locale is 'redneck'. Now I laugh as I play...

Sorry for the tangent. Or is it a cosine?

--bmr

[Mostly Harmless!]

The best way to figure out which language is best is by learning them all. Don't trust other peoples' opinions and not learn something that you may need later.

[Pimpinella]

JeffM already said it, if you wan't to make computer programs the first thing you have to learn is programming. You can implement any application with any of those three, but it won't help you to know the languages' syntax unless you learned how to actually design programs.

About the languages:

Python is a high level scripting language, the syntax is easy to learn, the design is very straight and clear. A good choice to start with if you don't have programming skills yet. The code is portable to any platform the Python interpreter is available for. Python is still young and under heavy development.

Java is a high level language, the syntax is very much inspired by C/C++, it's not a bad choice to start with either. The source code is compiled into a platform independent byte code, and run in a platform specific runtime engine/bytecode interpreter. Therefor Java is highly portable and makes a good compromise between speed and portability, though it requires the presence of a Java runtime engine on the host machine.

C++ is a mid level language, and requires more knowledge about the way computers and operating systems work internally, especially because the memory management is left up to the coder. It's probably not the first choice if you need to learn programing in the first place. Also the code is usually only partially portable (as it's based directly on the operating systems API), and even then only if properly designed. On the other hand C++ is the most flexible and least limited of the three languages.

If you want to contribute to BZFlag C++ is your only real choice.

C# might be another option for a high level language you might wan't to take a look at.

[Tturbo]

I know it's classical, but I prefer java...

It kind of strange the number of different language, there this one and other like Flash or PHP, or javascript.

[badgerking]

FYI - I only voted for java because I can't stand c or python.

Most of what I write is in shell, or php, but I am moving to ruby as I learn more of it.

[netochka nezvanova]

max/msp +jitter

[Spazzy McGee]

AppleScript hehe

[SilentSwan]

Well, first off, C++ is probably the way to go since BZ is written in C++, and you want to make patches, etc... Further, there's a wealth of code there to use as examples, learning exercises.

Java must die. 'nuf said.

Perl - i have mixed feelings here. I used to love it passionately, and my typical response was that any problem could be solved in 5 lines of Perl. I have however developed a passionate *hatred* for perl due to all the perl i've had the misfortune of trying to maintain (I used to work for a software company and had to provide support for developers). Perl seems to *encourage* bad coding. The whole "There's More Than One Way To Do It" thing is great ... up to a point. Then it just becomes a train-wreck.

Try looking into Python... I believe it is superiour to perl in terms of manageability, yet is easily capable of all the same things.

Just my $0.02, adjusted for inflation.