Im confused

[Mitosis]

Alright guys, I have started to learn Visual Basic 6.0 (I bought the book " Visual Basic 6 For Dummies") and now I am kind of stumped on which is the best language for me to learn. I already know SOME C++ like;
Cout
Cin
Variables

(That is the code, just explaining what I have learned already in C++)

So after quite some time reading the vL forums I have noticed that alot of people are saying that you should learn C++ instead of VB. Maybe should I just hop over to C++ again while Im not cought in the middle of Visual Basic?

P.S
I have already bought the book "C++ For Dummies"  and found that I didnt understand things because the author would be going on about how he jumped out of a plain. Give some tips on some good beginner books and advanced for when I am done the beginner ones. Thanks

Russ

Opps modified, should I learn C#?

[MoNksBaNe_Agahnim]

http://forum.valhallalegends.com/phpbbs/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=3609

should help ya a little

(edit): Some people say to learn VB first (gets the jists of it) then go into a harder language like c/c++ (if you wanted to learn c++), some say you need to learn some c before c++. I think it depends on the person. I learned c++ as my first language and am fine, as long as you know algebra, general computer knowledge, and possibly a good book (if you are one of those kind of people who can teach yourself) or a class in c++ (helped me a ton) is all you really need to start off

[Mitosis]

Alright any suggestions on books?

[Grok]

As a computer professional for decades, my advice based on the trends today is to learn and specialize in one or both of the two major platforms for PCs --- JVM or .NET.

90% of all business will be using one or both by the time you learn them.

Don't waste a minute on VB6.  I'm a VB6 expert and can tell you there is no market for more VB6 programmers.  It's flooded with so many that lots don't have jobs, and the wages are dropping.

[Mitosis]

Alright Grok, so tell me what I should learn and a good starting book and the software I will need. I am willing to buy this for Christmas because I truly do want to learn.

[j0k3r]

Ah, I always knew my hatred for VB wasn't unjustified.

JVM stands for Java Virtual Machine I presume, and .Net is Microsoft's solution to what exactly? Which route would you recommend more?

[Mitosis]

Still waiting for Grok....lol

[MoNksBaNe_Agahnim]

people say C++ for dummies is good (i bought one a long time ago, has a DoS compiler hahaha) and i found it bleh...

I personally can't teach myself from a book good but i hear Deitel and Deitel books are really good (C++ How to Program [4th ed.]) and supposedly Sam's is supposed to be good although he talkes in hierogliphics sometimes. My suggestion is google for online tutorials, that seems to be the best. www.cplusplus.com / www.gametutorials.com (c/c++/networking/openGL/directx/game tutorials) / and PLENTY others

[Mitosis]

I have been on those sites since last year, they are old news to me. I need like a good starting book.

[Banana fanna fo fanna]

Just as long as you promise you learn whatever you're going to learn WELL, and not just read a book and move on.

If you're serious about being a programmer, you have to learn your languages and write code for a year or two (or more). Then, you'll get the hang of it, and can move to any language you choose with ease. For example, I learned QBasic when I was 9, dabbled in C, VB, C++ till I was 12, and then I just picked up random languages as I pleased, since I was familiar with core programming concepts. I learned the ASP suite of languages, PHP, Perl, Tcl, Java, Python, stupid languages like Eiffel, and learned my algorithms.

So what I'm trying to say is, learn a true, OOP language (C++, Java, C#, whatever), and really learn it. Write a full, complete, bug-free (as much as you can) app with it. A Battle.net bot is a good example, as long as you don't cheat and use CSB. BNLS *might* be okay, but CSB is just cheating. Once you can read through a few lines of a foreign language and then write a sorting algorithm, you're a programmer.

Dealing with technophobe clients is a different story, though.....

[Mitosis]

K, so I think Ill start with Java and C++, whats a good starting book to get me on track and what software will I need?

[iago]

K, so I think Ill start with Java and C++, whats a good starting book to get me on track and what software will I need?

For Java, go to http://java.sun.com and download the Java SDK.  It'll come with Netbeans, which is a fairly nice IDE.  

For C++, go to http://www.bloodshed.net and download Dev-c++.  I think that site still exists.

[Mitosis]

What about visual c++.net What are some good starting books? Grok know any?

[Mitosis]

Alright I know about the software, but what are some good books?

[Banana fanna fo fanna]

uh
thinking in c++ by bruce eckel, its free www.bruceeckel.com