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What are you programming in?

Catwell

What are you programming in these days? For me it's Assembly and some C/C++. But it seems that it's becoming time to move past all the old tried and true languages for the new. Now you have to know C#.net, Java, and whatever syntax you need for whatever new processor you have to work with. For example, you can't be a straight HTML programmer anymore, you need to know Flash, SQL scripting, CSS, Shockwave, HTML5, and whatever the flavour of the month is, to a high degree of proficiency. It's a lot to know. So, how do you choose what to learn? A few people I knew several years ago were learning Python and Fortran from some reason or other, boasting it's where Engineers have to migrate. Neither of them used those languages. Now they are studying Java and Objective C. To avoid this cycle of learn then learn another, what should we all program in?

 

Cabe

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    When I began programming we had Fortran.  Assembler, Pascal, and C have each been my preference in their turn.  For what little 'real' programming I still do its a mix of C and Assembler with some C++ features making life easier.  I use the gcc compiler for everything.  For scripting I like Lua.  Lua can be embedded in C and vice versa so it's possible to have the best of both worlds.  Mostly I script text and it seems that languages can be divided into Char (C), String (Perl, AWK, Sed, Cut) and Table (Lua, SQL) based.  For raw graphics (gui) GTK+ was my choice but for pure elegence, simplicity, and ease of learning TCL/TK with its Wish window is it.  I have never been comfortable with Java, perhaps because its slow or maybe I just miss doing my own memory management.  For web pages HTML and CSS with PHP when needed have been enough.  I like CLIPS for building expert systems and use a little XML, XBRL, and Java for financial programs.  If I were to start over I think I would learn Assembler, C, and the AWK, Sed, Cut scripting tools since they are what I use most.  For web pages I tend to use HTML and CSS heavily with some PHP, CGI's in AWK, and a little XML.  The best language?  The one you find most comfortable to re-read when debugging.  For me this can be Assembler with sufficient comments and blocking into reuseable subroutines, I think its how we lay out the project and not the tools we use that make for programming efficiency and speed.

  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    It seems to be rare that I need a computer to do something that I can't make it do in C/C++.  I've found C to be the Brooks Brothers suit of programming:  it might not be the most fashionable choice, and all the high school kiddies might even find it old-fashioned, but in the end it gets the job done.  And I can spend my time actually getting the job done rather than learning some new way to get the job done.

     

    When I was taking Computer Science classes in school, there was a joke going around:  What's the definition of an Engineer?  Someone who does list processing in Fortran.

     

    Okay, I probably just dated myself.  But, to my credit, I haven't used LisP (or however you are supposed to capitalize it) in many years.

     

    -jim

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  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    It seems to be rare that I need a computer to do something that I can't make it do in C/C++.  I've found C to be the Brooks Brothers suit of programming:  it might not be the most fashionable choice, and all the high school kiddies might even find it old-fashioned, but in the end it gets the job done.  And I can spend my time actually getting the job done rather than learning some new way to get the job done.

     

    When I was taking Computer Science classes in school, there was a joke going around:  What's the definition of an Engineer?  Someone who does list processing in Fortran.

     

    Okay, I probably just dated myself.  But, to my credit, I haven't used LisP (or however you are supposed to capitalize it) in many years.

     

    -jim

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  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    Jim,

     

    Thanks for you first post as a reply!

     

    Fortran has been talked about by a few of my colleagues. I dabbed in it briefly, and to be honest I didn't enjoy the experience. No matter what the requirements are for programming during my day jobs, I end up back at some flavor of "C."

     

    Right now I have to delve deep into PIC programming for the 18F series in "C." I'm transitioning well from PIC assembly. I like not having to code multi-register multiplication in assembly anymore.

     

    Cabe