What Should You Choose to Learn ? Python or C++ ?
For those wishing to make a foray into the world of computer programming, C++ makes for one of the best entry level languages to learn. Nearly all American university courses in computing will teach their undergraduates how to program in C++, as it is very user friendly and allows for a more complete freedom of expression and ease of compilation. C++ is an object oriented version of C, one of the first widely used programming languages. Object oriented programming means that instead of telling the computer to work things out for itself, the user creates objects such as strings and arrays and uses the C++ language to manipulate them. For example, instead of writing a long piece of code to store a series of numbers and find the mean, C++ allows the programmer to create a string object, put all the numbers inside it and find the average; a much quicker way of programming.
This functionality, combined with the fact that it works on most platforms (Windows and Apples included), means that it is the market standard for computer game programming and any other application using a Graphical User Interface (GUI). It is very powerful, owing to the availability of hundreds of class libraries. These are separate files to the main program, but allow objects to inherit abilities from other classes. For example, an object set up to run as a clock can inherit the ability to move on one minute after 60 seconds have elapsed without needing to be told to do it every single time. This makes C++ a powerful language to use, as multiple objects can be manipulated to do different things with a minimum amount of code.
These class libraries are also one of its downfalls. Because there are so many, it can become a bit unwieldy, especially when it comes to compiling the code. For a large piece of software, the command line executive could run for up to 100 arguments due to the specificity of each of the class libraries. The class libraries are all produced by different programmers, each of whom will have their own style of coding. This means that adding to or altering the library can be a nightmare, which prompts other programmers to create their own class, which exacerbates the problem. For newbie programmers, the debate always swings between C++ and Python, a more simplistic but less powerful language. Python is the closest thing that modern programming has got to simple English, with each line of code resulting in an action. The language is geared to programmers who want to see things on the screen immediately, while C++ allows users to get a lot done without much to show for it. For the absolute beginner, reading a screen of Python code will make sense, while it will be much harder to work out what’s going on for the same program written in C++.
This was a guest post, thank you !
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I could not agree less with this post. Inaccurate and just plain terrible…
Your goal is to breed all the different dragons available to you and enter combat against other player’s dragons. kkgfadedfdceggfd
That is ok Joe, this post is an opinion anyway.
it’s better to start with C++ then master it before you start with Python. IT’s a solid foundation once you’ve mastered C++. Everything is so easy. You can type Python code even you are sleeping. No offense but Python is for no brainer.
@Newbie, you are obviously not in metaprogramming
Personally I would recommend Python first for a beginner. Yes C++ will give that awesome foundation and make everything else seem easy. However, Python will keep a new programmer from burning out or giving up and make everything MUCH easier to grasp. I enjoyed the article, thank you.
We keep our ball python in a tank rghuoly 36 x18 x17 . We use an aspen substrate, s/he has a hide that fits her nicely, and a soaking dish. S/he is about two years old, sheds well, eats a few mice every few weeks.Lately s/he has been roaming the enclosure more often, even in the day, and has been standing up and exploring the top of the enclosure. Is her enclosure becoming too small? Do we need a taller one? Do we need to exercise her outside her home? We do hold her and let her stretch out on the coach beside us, but don’t ever let her roam around freely.Appreciate your thoughts! Thanks in advance,Eileen
Thanks for helping me to see things in a different light.
You’re welcome Vledoc, i’m glad you liked it
Your last statement is..
“However, once the language has been learned, C++ will allow the user to do more with much less code.”
My first question after reading that wud be….have u programmed in python or u just write articles??
Python’s less verbose than C++, any python beginner can tell u that…
I recommend u do some research before writing crap! articles like this…. doesn’t deserve even 1 on 10.
Dhiraj, please be courteous. This is a guest post and i also agree with your opinion. This statement is wrong indeed. But please be more kind. For validity purposes i will remove the sentence, because i have not noticed that on my first reading of the guest post.
Hay Spyros, Just found this site (looking for info on wget) and am enjoying the articles. This one asks the question “C++ or Python” … but doesn’t tell us why just those two are considered.
As an electronics engineer (graduated in 1976) I started programming in school on Fortran using punch cards. Mostly I’m a self-taught programmer who learned just enough to get through the embedded processor projects as they came up. My first project was an arcade video game. I just discovered someone put it into IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1999872/fullcredits#cast). I wrote all the code in Signetics 2650 assembly language using a text editor called ED. (Snow, school, up-hill both ways
On later projects I used Pascal and the C. Eighteen years ago I learned using C++ on a two year project. I never mastered it and have never needed to use it since. I would not recommend it as a starting language. It has too many exceptions and gotchas for a beginner to cope with, not the least of which is managing your own memory allocation.
Since that time I’ve used mostly Java, Javascript, Perl 5 and a little Ruby. I haven’t used Python but from my reading it looks pretty easy to take. For a beginner I’d recommend Python, Ruby or Java to start. But I’d also recommend learning skills that are not language specific at the same time. Algorithms, data structures, patterns, closures, object orientated programming, functional programming, source code control, configuration management, project management, software life-cycle, … etc.
To me programming is like solving a puzzle only you get to invent the puzzle yourself.
Peace,
Rob:-]
Hello @Robert,
Of course the question can be asked for many different languages, that is true. I guess that the author picked C++ and Python because they pretty much represent compiler vs interpreted languages(i would probably pick the same if i had to write a post about this topic). I would also recommend ruby, which is probably even better than Python for a beginner(though it has some advanced topics like blocks).
thank you for the very nice comment
And i definitely agree that would-be programmers need to learn about data structures, patterns(which i love), oop and more. Very important advice.
Thank you again, hope you have a nice time here
A little learning is a dangerous thing – the saying becomes crystal clear after a cursory read of this terrible blog post. It seems the author is a newbie to the programming world… and hasn’t done any real-world serious project in neither C++ nor python.
I like both. For a newbie, I’d strongly recommend Python.
@brass : Please be a little courteous. Indeed, this is a guest post and the author is not a professional programmer. But it’s kinda nice for a small entry to the programming world, for non professional programmers i think.
Thanks Spyros and Robert Shaver. Useful blog for beginners!
thanks robert & spyros
f*** C, C++, c#, objective-c.
All hails to phyton. C++ is just to mixed up
My four foot male eats every two to three weeks, he eats medium Frozen/thawed Rats, Generally Ball pyhotns grow around a foot a year until theyre about four, and then they grow at a much slower rate for the rest of their lives, I dont think there is any way of knowing for sure how old your ball python is.I would suggest you feed your snake as often as he will eat, generally once a week is normal feeding schedule for my snakes, but my smaller ones eat as often as twice a week Wednesdays and Sundays.
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Hey! I understand this is sort of off-topic but I had
to ask. Does managing a well-established blog like yours take a large amount of work?
I’m brand new to running a blog however I do write in my diary daily.
I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my own experience and
views online. Please let me know if you have any kind
of recommendations or tips for new aspiring bloggers.
Appreciate it!
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