Visual Basic. That is, VB 6, not the .NET version. I started teaching myself to program when I was 11, and could probably have programmed tetris after about 2 years. I'm completely self-taught, up until last year, when I took first year computer science. With the release of the DirectX and OpenGL documentation for VB, I've never really felt inclined to shift to C++, or even .NET.
Not as much as favorite languages as much as a evolution of languages learned, exposed to, and/or used: Commodore PET BASIC --> TI-99/4a BASIC --> TI-99/4a Extended BASIC --> VAX BASIC --> Pascal --> COBOL --> C --> VAX Assembly --> Modula-2 --> C++ --> Prolog --> HTML --> RISC Assembly --> Lingo --> JavaScript --> Perl --> Python If I had to choose favorite languages, it would be HTML/JavaScript and Python.
On the one hand, I agree... on the other hand, there are many of us in here with say, 1 out of 3 critical skills. I'm crap at business & marketing, I have no knowledge of web coding, and I can't use Photoshop, but I can code, so I ask questions about the bits I don't know. As far as I can see there's no harm in someone strong in other areas but with no programming knowledge from asking about it in here. When the first 'i r writing a MMOLRGP need coderz and h3lp plz' post turns up I'll get me coat Cas
I started out with Locomotive BASIC on the CPC6128. And that was good for many a year. I started dabbling in Z80 Assembler in the twighlight years before I finally got a proper PC in 1999. Fiddled with QBASIC and DIV Games Studio before moving on to BlitzBasic. Also learned Java at University, and did a little C in my work experience but enjoyed neither.
BASIC (learned enough to code really terrible text adventures ) --> Fortran --> Pascal --> C++ --> C-Script (3D GameStudio's C-like scripting language) Unless Conitec stops updating GameStudio, and lets it fall behind the competition, I don't see myself ever returning to "real" programming. C-Script is just too comfortable for me to abandon.
Basic (TI994a) -> Action (Atari 800XL) -> C -> C++ -> Java -> HTML & JSP -> Basic (BlitzBasic) I've pretty much come full circle. Started with Basic and now back to basic. I'll have to say though that Java is still my favorite language. Once you learn one language, it's not nearly as hard to learn another. IMHO, what language you use shouldn't be the first consideration. First it's the game design, then the third party engine, libraries, and any other technologies that will help you build that vision. After those are chosen, you then use the language that the engine supports. If the engine supports more than one then you could then pick your favorite. In my case it's currently BlitzBasic (Blitz3D).
My progression: Apple Logo and Applesoft BASIC -> Apple II machine code -> QBASIC -> Visual Basic (v3.0) -> C -> C/C++ -> Java (Breifly) -> C# and D I've also done a little bit of work with these at one time or another: (X)HTML, XML, CSS, ASP (w/ JScript and VBScript), PHP, GWBASIC (the precursor to QBASIC), NSIS's scripting language, DOS/Win Batch, ABEL (IIRC), MAKE, Ant/NAnt, SCons, A-A-P, Prolog, X86 Assembly, Assembly and Microassembly on a ficticious stack-based CPU (For a college class), TI86 Basic, Maple And then there's a bunch that I've looked into but never really used. Favorites: Applesoft BASIC, QBASIC, GWBASIC, C#, D, Microassembly on a ficticious CPU, ABEL (Designing hardware is fun )
C64 Basic (making text adventures) -> AMOS on Amiga (great language it was!)->Borland Pascal on 386->Blitz3d (argh... luckily I don't need it anymore!)->C+PTK (not C++ just C).
I had AMOS too.. it was probably the most instructive piece of software I ever owned! I remember having some friends in the UK sending over the software package becausue AMOS wasn't available for sale where I live. I even had a game published with a friend on Amiga Format in 1992
Not really. Here's how it goes- if you program in C, you just say "I code in C", if you program in C++ you say "I code in C/C++". The reason for this is that C++ is actually a precompiler (macro compiler? I forget the term) that turns C++ code into C before any other compilation step. That, and since you can easily code both in Vanilla C and C++ in a C++ environment, it's plain silly to say just C++. My experience goes like so-> Tandy Color Basic-> GW Basic -> Qbasic -> 8086 ASM (using MASM) -> Java -> C/C++ After that it stopped being a progression, and I learned (but keeping C/C++ as my favorite, although Lua is coming close to replacing it now...) Visual Basic, PHP, ASP, Javascript, Ruby, Python, Lisp and Lua. For someone just starting out- hmmm. I'm not sure. I would say just learn C++. Or Java. Get used to curley brackets now, in case they become cool again and every language supports them. Or C#. I almost said learn Python, but after coding in Lisp and Lua, it's Tuple structure is very lacking, and could easily teach bad programming skills. As is it's half-assed Object Oriented features. Best stay away from it, or pick up some nasty habits.