I need some help with what computer courses I should take

[Ark86]

The first semester of this year I took basic programming 1 (in Java) and it was really easy. I didn't have the time in my schedule to take basic programming 2 (visual basic) this second semester. It might be possible for me to take it next year though. I was planning on take AP Computer Science (C++) my last two years of high school though. What would you recommend I do? What language(s) would you recommend me to start learning? I already know html and most all of JavaScript (although those aren't really programming languages). What would you recommend I look into? I don't mind getting and reading programming books from the library.

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My new computer:

Celeron 700 mhz
Sound Blaster Live!
128mb ram
Case with lots of ports in the FRONT. Really cool.
32mb Radeon LE video card
30gb western digital hd
Delta 12x DVD-Rom drive
Acer 10x8x32 CD-RW drive

[spamjedi]

Well in college you will no doubt have to take C++ so getting a jump on things couldn't hurt. I wish I knew SQL going into my advanced database design class. If you're looking for something to fill your spare time MFC should do nicely http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/wink.gif Though I suppose C++ before MFC would be logical.

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-= SySTeM =-
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[Ark86]

OK, thanks. Would you recommend looking into some C++ or visual basic? Also, I don't know who I heard it from, but I heard that Java is going to take the place of C++ eventually. I don't know if I really believe that. What do you think?

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My new computer:

Celeron 700 mhz
Sound Blaster Live!
128mb ram
Case with lots of ports in the FRONT. Really cool.
32mb Radeon LE video card
30gb western digital hd
Delta 12x DVD-Rom drive
Acer 10x8x32 CD-RW drive

[DeadKen]

Originally posted by Ark86:
OK, thanks. Would you recommend looking into some C++ or visual basic? Also, I don't know who I heard it from, but I heard that Java is going to take the place of C++ eventually. I don't know if I really believe that. What do you think?



I think VB will die a lot sooner the C++.

I would opt for C++ over VB anyday. C++ is a real language, filled with important concepts. You've been spoiled (or is it ruined http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/smile.gif) with garbage collection!

You can pick up most of VB in a weekend.



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I want an OS, not a hobby...

[biosx]

Learn C and then either move on to C++ or more advanced Java. C is small and easy to learn but will teach you all of the fundamentals in most programming languages. After you master those skills, you can move up to OOP and special API's.

Another good language is Perl, which I am learning myself right now. I like it alot, but if you were to learn Perl, I think it would probably be smart to learn C first b/c you can really get spoiled with what Perl lets you get away with.

Good luck

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## root is the greed of all evil ##

[Ark86]

OK, thanks again. I think I will go for C or C++. What is really the difference between C and C++? Is C++ just more flexible?

------------------
My new computer:

Celeron 700 mhz
Sound Blaster Live!
128mb ram
Case with lots of ports in the FRONT. Really cool.
32mb Radeon LE video card
30gb western digital hd
Delta 12x DVD-Rom drive
Acer 10x8x32 CD-RW drive

[hu flung dung]

Originally posted by Ark86

OK, thanks. Would you recommend looking into some C++ or visual basic? Also, I don't know who I heard it from, but I heard that Java is going to take the place of C++ eventually. I don't know if I really believe that. What do you think?



Java couldn't ever take the place of C++! These languages are used for completely different things! Java is mainly used for cross-platform development (ie. making a program that runs in both Windows and Linux, for example). Java is very slow too! C++ is currently the dominant language for almost all of the software you see in the store.



Originally posted by DeadKen

I think VB will die a lot sooner the C++.

I would opt for C++ over VB anyday. C++ is a real language, filled with important concepts. You've been spoiled (or is it ruined ) with garbage collection!

You can pick up most of VB in a weekend.



I do believe that C++ will last longer than VB, but VB isn't going to go away anytime soon! VB can do almost everything C++ can (except for writing non-Windows apps. C++ can do that, right?) since you can even implement assembler code into VB apps (if you really need the speed and functionality of assember, but you most likely will not), and its much easier to use.

[DeadKen]

Originally posted by hu flung dung:
I do believe that C++ will last longer than VB, but VB isn't going to go away anytime soon! VB can do almost everything C++ can (except for writing non-Windows apps. C++ can do that, right?) since you can even implement assembler code into VB apps (if you really need the speed and functionality of assember, but you most likely will not), and its much easier to use.


Articles I have read claim that changes to make your VB code work with .NET stuff is so drastic many developers would be more likely to scrap it and jump to a real language like C#.

The view that VB can do almost anything C++ can do is crazy! C++ can be used to write an OS in! Try that with VB. VB is for using stuff like ActiveX controls, C++ is used for creating them.

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I want an OS, not a hobby...

[This message has been edited by DeadKen (edited February 07, 2002).]

[biosx]

Originally posted by Ark86:
OK, thanks again. I think I will go for C or C++. What is really the difference between C and C++? Is C++ just more flexible?


C is very small and is a standard procedural language. You basically do everything yourself in the language. There is a super-small amount of object oriented stuff.

C++ is an elevated C. It has the same basic syntax but uses different libraries. The reason for this is because it can write both pure-procedural and pure-object-oriented programs. It deals alot with classes and alot of other advanced things.

I started reading up on C++ (Deitel & Deitel) and it seemed pretty cool but at the same time I didn't really like it. Then again, I'm very used to procedural languages (like C and Perl).

Good luck with everything



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## root is the greed of all evil ##

[Ark86]

OK, I was looking in the library for a C++ book and I came across a visual c++ book. That isn't the same as C++ is it?

------------------
My new computer:

Celeron 700 mhz
Sound Blaster Live!
128mb ram
Case with lots of ports in the FRONT. Really cool.
32mb Radeon LE video card
30gb western digital hd
Delta 12x DVD-Rom drive
Acer 10x8x32 CD-RW drive

[DeadKen]

Originally posted by Ark86:
OK, I was looking in the library for a C++ book and I came across a visual c++ book. That isn't the same as C++ is it?



A Visual C++ book would probably concentrate more on MFC then on strictly C++.



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I want an OS, not a hobby...

[OS-Wiz]

I'm probably going to blow your mind here but this is what's going on in the real world: COBOL (yes, old-fashioned COBOL), JAVA (J2EE) and its JDK (beans, jars), Object Oriented Design (OOD) including UML (use case), DataWarehouse, any Webpage Editor(s), HTML/XML, middleware products like WebSphere, Tuxedo or ORBIX (ORB), any database managers like DB2 UDB, Oracle, or MS/ACCESS. Finally, think business, not school, to prepare yourself -- call some potential employers and ask them what they'd like to see you take!

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HTH, Rick

[DeadKen]

Originally posted by OS-Wiz:
I'm probably going to blow your mind here but this is what's going on in the real world: COBOL (yes, old-fashioned COBOL), JAVA (J2EE) and its JDK (beans, jars), Object Oriented Design (OOD) including UML (use case), DataWarehouse, any Webpage Editor(s), HTML/XML, middleware products like WebSphere, Tuxedo or ORBIX (ORB), any database managers like DB2 UDB, Oracle, or MS/ACCESS. Finally, think business, not school, to prepare yourself -- call some potential employers and ask them what they'd like to see you take!



Its a big bad world out there. If you want to work the IT end of things, yea, but for the more interesting stuff (IMHO) look to C/C++/Java/C# and !Assembly!.

Of course, I've always loved embedded software.

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I want an OS, not a hobby...

[Malone]

I don't know how it looks in the job market, but most Universities' Computer Science Departments are dropping C++ and picking up Java. Every college I visited last year (RIT, Carnegie Mellon, Pitt) informed me of this. However, the main goal of a CS degree is to teach you HOW to program, not which languages to use. So go ahead and take the C++ classes, you should be able to skip the intro college classes then.

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"Speed kills, but you get there faster!"

[DeadKen]

Originally posted by Malone:
I don't know how it looks in the job market, but most Universities' Computer Science Departments are dropping C++ and picking up Java. Every college I visited last year (RIT, Carnegie Mellon, Pitt) informed me of this. However, the main goal of a CS degree is to teach you HOW to program, not which languages to use. So go ahead and take the C++ classes, you should be able to skip the intro college classes then.



That would be sad.

C++ (IMHO) produces better programmers. Memory allocation/freeing is a giant issue. Java hides many of the issues, but I mean hides, not solves.

At my last we had memory leaks gallore (100-200M) in Java, and they were a total &*(@# to solve (so never did get solved). Swing holding on to things was a major problem.

If they were using C++, there are much better tools for tracing down the problems.

Of course, Java would still beat the herasy of calling a VB class "Computer Science".

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I want an OS, not a hobby...