RE: Good resource for beginning programmers

  • From: "Homme, James" <james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 07:51:06 -0500

Hi,
You can make all of the languages we talked about so far work anywhere. But 
what you want to think about is that languages were created, usually, to have 
strengths at doing certain kinds of things. For example, Perl was originally 
created to manipulate text. PHP was originally created to handle the 
interactions between web browsers and web server software. SQL was created 
specifically to get data into and out of relational databases. I believe that C 
and C++ were originally created to handle tasks more closely related to running 
computers. I guess is kind of like saying that if you want to be a doctor, you 
have to learn how doctors talk, even they talk in your native language. And 
maybe I need coffee before I start spewing out more inaccurate information.

Jim

Jim Homme,
Usability Services,
Phone: 412-544-1810. Skype: jim.homme
Internal recipients,  Read my accessibility blog. Discuss accessibility here. 
Accessibility Wiki: Breaking news and accessibility advice


-----Original Message-----
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Client Services
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 9:17 PM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Good resource for beginning programmers

OK-
Thank you. That makes sense.
One more question.  What programming language works from a website server?
Is there a programming language that works both on my computer or from a
remote server?
As far as I can tell. The only one is Java.  Asuming of course Java is a
programming language and not a scripting language.  Java is a programming
language... right?
So far, it sounds like I need to learn C++ along with some scripting
language that works for website development such as PHP, java, or Python.
My objective is to be able to develop very powerful applications on the
internet that can run on computers and mobile devices.  I also truly dislike
studying something and mastering it just as it goes out of style.

H.R. Soltani

-----Original Message-----
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Christopher
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 8:31 PM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Good resource for beginning programmers

You are correct that scripting languages just brings the "best" out of a
programming language. A scripting language simply sits atop (whether it
be directly or indirectly) a programming language. That means, C/C++ is
really what is running your PHP and Python scripts. Scripting languages
mainly just provide a simple (usually typeless) syntax so things can get
done much quicker than in a true programming language. For example, it
is usually much easier to do something in Python than it is to do that
same thing in C++. However, that does not come free. You lose much
performance when you choose a scripting language (usually).

On 11/17/2010 3:49 PM, Client Services wrote:
> Hi-
> Thank you for that explanation.
> Seems like the line between programming and scripting languages is getting
> blurred.
> Are scripting languages becoming as powerful as a programming language?
Or
> do they just bring the best out of the programming language they are
written
> in.
> If PHP and Python are written in C and C++, then why can't they make PHP
and
> Python to be more like a CMS and useable by non-programmers?
> In summary, if I have this correct, a scripting language is actually
written
> in a programming language and is just a way of accessing and using the
given
> programming language.
> When I use PHP and Python, I am actually using C and C++, just in a unique
> dialect?  That is assuming Python and PHP are written in C or C++.
> So somehow, PHP and Python were supposed to make C or what ever
programming
> language easier to use?
> Is this accurate?
> Sorry for the dumb questions.
>
> H.R. Soltani
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Christopher
> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 6:24 PM
> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Good resource for beginning programmers
>
> This is one of my pet peeves.
>
> A programming language is a language that is, in the majority of the
> cases, compiled to native machine code -and- used for application
> development (i.e. C, C++, D) A scripting language is a language that is,
> in the majority of the cases, interpreted -and- used to control
> applications, and sometimes application development in general (i.e.
> Python, PHP, Ruby, AutoIT, etc.) Java was not a true programming
> language until recently when it decided to compile its bytecode
> on-the-fly. C# has always been a programming language because it has
> always compiled its MSIL on-the-fly. PHP and Python are both written in
> C and are both interpreted. (PHP might be written in C++.)
>
> I refuse to call a non-compiled language a programming language,
> regardless of the language.
>
> So, here is a simple test to see what is a programming language and what
> is a scripting language.
>
> 1. Can you write a full application in the language? If yes, then is the
> language compiled? If yes, then it is a programming language.
> 2. Can you write a full application in the language? If yes, then is the
> language compiled? If no, then it is a scripting language.
> 3. Can you write a full application in the language? If no, then it is a
> scripting language.
>
>
> On 11/17/2010 2:24 PM, Alex Midence wrote:
>> I am not at a stage in my learning where I can do well at explaining
>> this so, I have provided some links for you to explore:
>>
>> Scripting language
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_language
>>
>> Programming language:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_language
>>
>> Be warned:  This will create more questions for you.  Have fun!!!
>>
>> Alex M
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 11/17/10, Client Services<operations@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>   wrote:
>>> Hi-
>>> What is the difference between a scripting language and a programming
>>> language?
>>> So if PHP and Python are scripting languages, what programming language
> are
>>> they written in?
>>> And why are they called scripting languages?
>>>
>>> H.R. Soltani
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alex Midence
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 3:52 PM
>>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Subject: Re: Good resource for beginning programmers
>>>
>>> You've got scripting languages and programming languages there.
>>> Javascript is client side scripting.  Websites run scripts on the
>>> visitor's machine to dynamically change themselves according to
>>> stimuli.  Php is a scripting language that does dynamic webpage
>>> changing among other things from the server side.  It is used in
>>> conjunction with database solutions like my sql and the like.  Java
>>> and C are both programming languages.  Java is a high level
>>> object-oriented language that runs on a virtual machine.  It is used
>>> to create applets and web apps for all sorts of functions.  Java is
>>> also used to create desktop  applicaitons like, for instance, Eclipse,
>>> Open Office, and things of that nature.  C is a low-level procedural
>>> programming language that is used for desktop aplications and
>>> low-level programming such as drivers, utilities and the like.
>>> Certain platforms are also written in C like, for instance, Windoes is
>>> in C.  I believe Gnome was also written in C.  I went into this detail
>>> because your post indicated that you thought these were all web
>>> development languages and they are not.  Python is a scripting
>>> language that can do a lot of the same things programming languages
>>> can do and has a reputation for being easy to learn and fostering
>>> rapid development.  An applications that php could not create, IMHO is
>>> a screen reader.  Python was used to create two of them.
>>>
>>> Hope that helps,
>>> Alex M
>>>
>>>
>>> On 11/17/10, Client Services<operations@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>   wrote:
>>>> Hi everybody-
>>>> I am trying to decide where to start as far as learning programming.
>>>> I decided I would focus on 1. PHP, 2. JavaScript, 3. Java, 4. C
>>>> I figured these are being used the most in web development and custom
>>>> applications. So, where does Python come in?  How would you compare
> Python
>>>> with Java, PHP, and C??
>>>> Can anybody give me an example of what cannot be developed in PHP which
>>> can
>>>> be developed in Python?
>>>> Or how about Java vs Python if PHP is to lowly?  I have just heard PHP
> has
>>>> limitations.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> H.R. Soltani
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