Which language

[gbonner]

Hello all,

I contract in the ERP sector and have an okay knowledge in SQL and VBA.

I want to learn a programming language but am unsure what to try, its more to fill my time on slow contracts but could later lead to a career change but certainly someting to add to the CV.

What langauges are most relevent now and still will be in the future, any suggestions?

Im not looking to shell out any money at this point so any free compiler recomendations would also be welcome.

Cheers.

 

[TheFaQQer]

Java.

But there's not money in it.

 

[GlenW]

I'd recommend C#, apart from writing device drivers, it can do just about anything you need.
Get one of the Visual Studio Express editions and away you go.

 

[BigRed]

Powershell is always good to learn these days. Not a programming language but it's reaching the point where everyone needs to know a bit

 

[doodab]

Scala has a good chance of being the next big thing IMO

 

[eek]

Scala has a good chance of being the next big thing IMO

My money would be on Javascript (not because its good, it just seems to be heading that way)...

 

[GlenW]

My money would be on Javascript (not because its good, it just seems to be heading that way)...

How much bigger can JavaScript get?
99% of all client side browser functionality is written in it already!

 

[VectraMan]

How much bigger can JavaScript get?
99% of all client side browser functionality is written in it already!

99% of client side browser functionality is written in C++.

I know that's not what you mean, but it is what you said.

 

[GlenW]

99% of client side browser functionality is written in C++.

I know that's not what you mean, but it is what you said.

Smart arse!

 

[petergriffin]

How much bigger can JavaScript get?
99% of all client side browser functionality is written in it already!

The browser is unaware of any client side language. The what-you-call "functionality" is the DOM (Document Object Model). The translation from/to Javascript is done by the Javascript interpreter.

The DOM is fixed, while the JS interpreter is different for every browser, hence the differences, however minimal, in rendering across browsers.