what programming/scripting language do you enjoy the most? ...the least?

[file cabinet]

so far, the only languages I have worked with the most are JavaScript and PHP. I am not too fond of PHP.. part of the reason is probably that it often feels limiting and I work with it on a regular basis to the point of severe dislike. On the other hand, I have found JavaScript can be fun to work with... probably the main thing I like about it is that it is object-based (but using JS in conjunction with XUL is irritating).

[garak]

Python is great, C++ and C are cool in their own respective ways. Bourne shell can be fun.

Java is an over-corporatized joke, and Perl is a disgusting mess.

[Hexchild]

Each language has situations where it's useful and other situations where it's less useful. So I suggest you learn as many as possible. You will find that there are a lot of similarities between most, so after a while learning a new language tends to be easy. The more languages you know, the better you will know which one to use in a particular situation.

As a general-purpose programming language, C++ is really great. You don't really need a bare-bones C compiler because it is essentially a subset of C++ (with a few minor syntactical changes). On Windows, C# is a fun language and easy to speed-develop with.

For scripting (especially web scripting) I think JavaScript is a good choice because it works virtually everywhere. I agree with garak that Unix/Linux shells (esp. Bourne Shell aka. "sh" and Bourne-Again Shell aka. "bash") can be pretty fun to work with. On Windows, VBScript may be a good choice because of its simplicity.


Personally, I tend for the most part to use C++ for regular programs, C++ and/or bash in conjunction with Apache web server for CGI programming and JavaScript for both ASP and DHTML programming.

[moni]

i like C++ and perl.... although perl is pretty messy, you can easily get things done. well, at least the simple stuff.

assembly language sucks.

[Nighthawk]

Java and C# are my favorites. I work with both of them a lot in my present job. The only qualm I have with them is that they are interpreted languages. Something like C++ or Delphi would be much better for stand alone apps ... but I'm quite rusty in both of those. I also use JavaScript and DHTML quite a bit.

[Hexchild]

Java and C# are my favorites. I work with both of them a lot in my present job. The only qualm I have with them is that they are interpreted languages.

That's not exactly true. Both are traditionally JIT compiled.

[Nighthawk]

That's not exactly true. Both are traditionally JIT compiled.Point granted ... they are not traditionally interpreted languages like PERL or PROLOG. What I meant to say was that you need a runtime environment for them, rather than creating stand alone executables like you can create with C++ or Delphi.

[file cabinet]

For scripting (especially web scripting) I think JavaScript is a good choice because it works virtually everywhere.
not totally sure what you mean as cross-browser issues can be highly irritating.

I have done some shell scripting as well but usually just one liners (for..in etc) or rudimentary scripts.

[Hexchild]

Point granted ... they are not traditionally interpreted languages like PERL or PROLOG. What I meant to say was that you need a runtime environment for them, rather than creating stand alone executables like you can create with C++ or Delphi.

Technically, virtually all programs written in C++ or Delphi do need a runtime environment (eg. the Win32 DLLs, the POSIX libs, what have you..) but I guess I see what you mean. I'll have to admit I just hate it when you need to install a huge runtime system that wasn't part of the OS in the first place just to get an application running.

[Hexchild]

not totally sure what you mean as cross-browser issues can be highly irritating.

That's a whole other issue :lol:

Regardless of the browser, the JavaScript language should stay the same (although there are different versions of it, which luckily can be specified). Between browsers, it is the object model that changes. The contents and usage of the object model should not depend on the language being used, other than language-dependent syntax and semantics.

Of course, there is really no guarantee that some idiot does not create a popular web browser with a half-ass interpreter that supports a non-conformant version of JavaScript.

[eyebyte_atWork]

VB classic and all of it derivatives, C++ and the DOT NET Languages - these have been my tools at various times. But I have to admit that C# is fast becoming my favorite from a practicality point of view. While C++ is fun C# is quick (Development Time). At one time or another I think I have tinkered with almost all mainstream languages and a few that are custom - but thats another story all-together.

[Shadow]

For compiled languages (those compiled directly into machine code), C++ is my main language. If it can't be done in C++, do it in Assembly.

I script in Perl and ZSH (actually using zsh-specific features). I deal with a bit of LISP as well.

[PlayerOfGames]

C++, php, and I really used to like writing optimized functions in assembler when that was still a sensible thing to do...

[eyebyte_atWork]

Unix Geeks.

[PlayerOfGames]

Must .. think .. of way to reply.... without confirming unix cliche... not much time...

[eyebyte_atWork]

Hey - I like linux as much as the next guy - however I have always worked on the MS side of the fence and am not used to seeing many C++ guys around.

[Sue Denim]

I can make a qualified endorsement of perl, since I use it quite a bit.

For starters, I use it for a wide variety of scripting where I would have previously used ksh/csh/sed/awk. I can do everything with perl that these do, but with better (I think) flow control. It's also seems to be installed on every xNIX installation I've been on for the last several years, so I've come to count on it a bit.

Indeed, there are an awful lot of trashy perl scripts out there, but if you care to do so, you can make perl much more elegant. It depends on how much care you wish to put into it. I've built some useful, reusable modules, using OO concepts (perl simulates OO, but it's a stretch). I also go out of my way to be explicit in my coding, rather than play the game of "how obfuscated can I make it?".

I really like that perl is fast to run and to develop, and is also very efficient in it's memory usage. I also like having the wide variety of modules available from CPAN. For example, I use the DBI (RDBMS) and LDAP modules a lot. Together, these strengths make it very well suited for ad-hoc reports, and small projects where quick turnaround is needed.

Change control for any script language is a problem. I really wish I could compile it for release so that people wouldn't be modifying it in-place, without tracking their changes. Performance-wise, it's closer to JIT than interpreted, so I don't have a problem with not being able to compile for that reason.

Others

I like having C/C++ as an option, but it takes me longer to develop in them for whatever reason. Maybe I just need more experience, but debugging seems to take longer, too.

Java is not bad, and has gotten better, performance-wise. I still find it to be kind of slow and a memory hog compared to C/C++ or perl. For whatever reason, I find myself writing "helper" classes more than I would expect for a "mature" language. I also find some of the API implementations to be a bit "clunky" and have more overhead to use than is necessary (e.g. lots of object instantiation to make a simple method call). But maybe that's just me.


I've always meant to learn python, but I'd have to get it "approved" to be able to use it at my job. I do less programming for fun than I used to, so I haven't found the motivation.

[PlayerOfGames]

I started out on Sinclair ZX spectrum 48K BASIC. Now that was a platform... oh yeah... :banana:

[PlayerOfGames]

I also find C/C++ takes longer, but I think that's kinda inevitable, since you're dealing with stuff that's closer to the metal, it just has more nasty ways to crash, and will be harder to debug.

[dziner]

Perl has some amazing text processing capabilities. But reading the Perl code written by somebody else (or yourself) can be a nightmare.

Python is certainly a better designed language.

[Hypnos]

* For heavy file access and calling all other executables: bash + text tools

* Text processing less than 5 lines: Perl

* Performance sensitive code or bit-flipping: C

* Everything else: Python

C++ is a scourge upon the world. Bjarne Stroustrup should be hanged for templates. :banana:

[Dempsey]

Actionscript for the win.

[Sue Denim]

Perl has some amazing text processing capabilities. But reading the Perl code written by somebody else (or yourself) can be a nightmare.It certainly can be. I try to keep this in mind when I write perl. I sometimes trade efficiency for readability for this very reason. Most of the time, performance isn't really an issue, but the ability to figure it out later is important. My use of regex is probably rudimentary to some, but being explicit sure beats spending hours trying to reverse engineer it later.


Python is certainly a better designed language.That seems to be a consensus. Maybe it's time to learn it...

Paul Graham is a big advocate of LISP (http://www.paulgraham.com/lisp.html), which might also be worth learning, but more from an academic perspective than necessarily a practical one.

[Maniac]

C# is my fave, I absolutely love the power and sophistication of the .net framework. The gap is being bridged between JIT compiled and compiled programs. Especially in .net 2.0, which was just released.

[moni]

has anyone here used openGL?

i'm supposed to create a 'toy' (chose a waddling penguin) in 3d.

[Maniac]

My colleagues have. They've told me it's much more fun than directx.

[HackerX]

I've used OpenGL.. and I must say its a lot easier to use than DirectX, to get started with it, have a look at GLUT, makes all the trickier setting up of windows etc a whole lot easier.

[Nivegna]

Scripts :


/etc/rc.d ---- "#! /usr/bin/env sh"

/ and /usr ----- "#!/usr/pkgsrc/bin/bash" : "#!/usr/pkg/bin/perl"

/var/www ----------- TclL/Tk and "#!/usr/pkg/bin/perl"

Menus and installers --- Turbo vision CUI (TM) & curses/ncurses

Languages :

Haskell GHC for hacking quantum physics

Ocaml/Caml just because it exists and It's French

Cyclone from AT&T

Regular C (Kernighan and Ritchie)


http://www.jerkcity.com/jerkcity185.gif
_

[Sammy]

I hate Haskell...
My list:
Python
Java
C/C++
C#
VB
PHP
Javascript
bash et. al