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> John Posada is wondering about increasing the tools in his toolbox,
>
> <<If you weren't a programmer, but you wanted to increase your strength as
a
> technical writer by adding a programming ability, what would you go
for...>>
I might have a couple of suggestions here... (being a techwriter that
evolved into a programmer)
It's true you might not want to endure the tedium of a language you don't
plan on using. In truth, programming, at many times, is just as boring to
read as it can be to practice, so starting with a verbose, syntactically
cumbersome language might be self-defeating (but it may turn out to be a
rewarding challenge, it depends on the person).
My suggestion would be to start with an object-oriented language. Many
people find that once they have mastered one language, the majority of
similar languages will come much easier.
My first suggestion would be Python. It's an interpreted language, is
purely object-oriented, and contains some great features for beginners:
The interpreter understands variable data types by reading the value. You
don't have to constantly declare datatypes with your variables.
The interpreter uses indentation as part of the syntax requirements, so it
technically forces you to write readable, well-written code.
It has hundreds of modules that can be utilized with one simple command.
Perl is good too. Not quite as verbose as C++ or Java.
If you want to start with java, get the book "Thinking in Java" by Bruce
Eckel
If you just want to learn a language to help your resume, avoid older
languages like COBOL, and specialized languages like scheme.
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