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Ask HN: What programming language to use?

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Re: Ask HN: What programming language to use?

#21
Unless proven otherwise for a specific application, the answer is python.

In general, the reason is simple: python programmers tend not to worry too much about the language, although there's a fair bit of fretfulness about the folks trying to do functional stuff in Python, or people who want Python to be LISP. But apart from those groups, pretty much everybody else just sits down and writes their code, and generally pretty soon forgets they're writing in any language in particular, they just sort of churn out code that pretty much works as expected.

And that's really the point of Python. You stop noticing it after a while. It doesn't reward extremely subtle cleverness (much) and it doesn't severely punish stupidity, it just sort of does what you expect, and pretty soon there's your working application, stable, maintainable and clean(ish.)

I can't give a language higher praise than "it doesn't get under foot, and there are very few nasty surprises."

Python. Unless there's a specific reason to do something else.

PS: web frameworks in Python kind of suck because they're mostly a bit abstract. You might well wind up bolting together something dirty for your own needs.

Re: Ask HN: What programming language to use?

#23
post #19
post #15

C, Perl, bash. Currently on my way to buy SICP so I can learn Scheme LISP. edit: it may interest you to know that I do absolutely no web development.

Its available online - free and legit.

I have the online PDF myself, but I still want a hard-bound copy. Sometimes I just need to curl up with a book away from a screen.

Re: Ask HN: What programming language to use?

#24
Forget about the academics (Lisp? SICP?.) You want to make a web app RIGHT NOW and make some cash. If you are good with PHP then look no further. Start working on your apps ASAP and update your PHP skills as you go. Take a look at the Zend Framework and CodeIgniter for some good frameworks.

If you must learn a different language then learn them on the side (hobby) while you are making your bread with the rest of your time using skills you already have.

Re: Ask HN: What programming language to use?

#28
C#/ASP.NET specialists are pretty well paid. Microsoft has a lot of architectural pieces you can plug together for extremely scalable solutions. Remoting servers for your application tier give you a TON of cheap scaling. Clustered and federated SQL Servers give you a beefy backend when you eventually need it. Decent amount of freelance/independent work here, if you're patient and know where to look. Also Windows Mobile still stands a fighting chance as a leading mobile platform, at least in the enterprise world.

Java is kind of like .NET, only, at least in markets I'm familiar with, it's fading. Sure, it can scale to no end, but it has a pretty high TCO. Unless you're going into financial programming, I'd leave Java aside. Knowing C# gives you an entree into Java should you ever need it.

Ruby, RoR is up and coming, but not, from what I've seen, highly well paid.

PHP is often underpaid, but has potential. Being pretty mature, there are a lot of roles out there. It _can_ scale -- Yahoo! proves this -- but not exactly out-of-the-box. Lots of freelance work available here.

Erlang has a lot of value, and I suspect will continue to grow in this world of multi cores and multi processors. Concurrency is soon to be king.

Python is a good utility language, but unless you're a Python guru, you probably aren't getting paid squat to know it.

It's always good to know C/C++. Heck, it's good to know Assembler insert platform here to boot. Excellent fundamentals, if not a lot of LOB work around these days. C++ is good for mobile work. I bet Android increases the amount of mobile work here as well.

Knowing Obj-C/Cocoa is growing in value as well. Even with low market penetration, your potential audience is pretty upmarket. Room for high margins here.

Lisp, Perl, eh, not bad to know, especially Lisp for fundamentals. For that matter, Smalltalk has value as well. Smalltalk even has a web framework these days ...

If you want to be highly employable, I'd suggest some combination of C#, Ruby, PHP, Python.

Re: Ask HN: What programming language to use?

#29
Thank you for your suggestions everyone.

I was expecting much different answers, so this is interesting. It sounds like there probably isn't any real reason to not continue with PHP, which will be quicker to get up to speed with current standards.

I'll do some more research on the options suggested though.

Thank you, John.

Re: Ask HN: What programming language to use?

#30
post #27

Python and Ruby are pretty much the players when it comes to web apps these days. If you want to stick with a Microsoft Stack, you could try ASP.NET (shudder).

In Microsoftland, F# is pretty nice.

Are you using F# as an ASP.NET language?
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