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> but then someone asks: Python 2 or Python 3? And then you say: It is 2017. Python 3.
Sure, but a lot of useful machine learning libs are still dependent on 2
If they are a beginner, they would probably start with scikit-learn, which works on Py3.
As does TensorFlow. As does Theano. Etc.
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Which Python?
> Which Python? You mean Python 2 or Python 3? If you are a beginner and just starting - Python 3, without a doubt. (Well, even if you aren't a beginner you should use (or switch to) Python 3)
I have 3 languages that I would and do recommend for any new programmer: - Python, because it looks like pseudocode and it's hard to fuck up as a beginner. Plus, if you're trying to do something real/effectful (rather than write implementations of algorithms) imperative code matches your intuition. - Haskell, because it looks like maths and it's hard to fuck up as a beginner. It's really easy to convert any maths stu…
But! It also means that it is harder to climb that hill and you might just slide down. You need good support.
Python, because it's the rare combination of "wildly popular" and "keeps you out of trouble". Ruby has always had a one-framework-town kind of feel to it, with Rails being the one thing people automatically associate with the language. Javascript has the popularity, on the other hand, but it's a minefield in so many ways. The browser is not fun to work with for anything serious, and code written in node bitrots very…
If you want to learn web programming, follow it up with this one that is also free: http://chimera.labs.oreilly.com/books/1234000000754/index.ht...
Of course, some people learn things better the hard way, but that's what I wish I'd had...
Ruby, specifically Ruby on Rails. There are alot of plugins and resources to quickly setup a website. Ruby does have a learning curve, but activerecord, devise, carrierwave, and Rails' industry support really help you use alot of different technologies quickly.
If you want to write business software or "get things done", rails can help you to do things in the rails way.
However, I dont think its good to have a very VERY large set of conventions; you spend most of your time learning those and dont really spend your time solving problems in a way that teaches you about how to think about computing.
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> Which Python? You mean Python 2 or Python 3? If you are a beginner and just starting - Python 3, without a doubt. (Well, even if you aren't a beginner you should use (or switch to) Python 3)
That "Which Python?" is an important question and that the existence of two versions of Python can make finding correct information harder is one of the reasons I am not wild about recommending Python to beginners -- particularly those who are going to be learning on their own.
Python, because it's the rare combination of "wildly popular" and "keeps you out of trouble". Ruby has always had a one-framework-town kind of feel to it, with Rails being the one thing people automatically associate with the language. Javascript has the popularity, on the other hand, but it's a minefield in so many ways. The browser is not fun to work with for anything serious, and code written in node bitrots very…
* Ruby and its clones are declining as their signature frameworks (Rails, Grails, etc) are replaced by newer ones like Node, Go Http, etc
* Python has the version 2 or 3 problem for now
* Javascript is too complicated
I think in 20 years time when the dynamic language fad has well passed, like the 4GL fad before it, there'll only be 2 dynamic languages left in the market, just as the 4GL's dwindled to only Visual Basic and perhaps Delphi.
They'll be Python 3 and Javascript, so choose one of those.