What Programming Languages Should You Learn Next?

simoniker writes "Over at Dobbs Code Talk, Chris Diggins has been discussing programming languages beyond C++ or Java, suggesting options such as Ruby ('does a great job of showing how powerful a dynamic language can be, and leverages powerful ideas from Smalltalk, Perl, and Lisp') but suggesting Scala as a first choice ('Very accessible to programmers from different backgrounds.') What would your choice be for programmers extending beyond their normal boundaries?"

Verilog

[poindextrose]

If you know C, learn Verilog. Then you can do anything. Anything.

10100001010

[midianus]

01000101012

Love the 'iPhone' tag

[Naughty Bob]

We really have some obscurity-loving masochists among our ranks.

I understand that COBOL is pretty hot...

[PC and Sony Fanboy]

I hear that COBOL is a pretty good language to learn. It isn't new, but it is old enough to make a comeback (like disco, aviator glasses and big hair)...

Re:What Languages?

[Chris Mattern]

FORTH learn to want I would why?

Whitespace

[ookabooka]

I think Whitespace [wikipedia.org] is worth learning, if only to be a smartass on exams where the prof specifies you may use "any" programming language. Just leave it blank, then after the exam spend a few hours figuring out how the hell you would solve the problem in whitespace, and bring a proof of concept on a USB flashdrive to fight the inevitable incorrect grade you receive for the problem.

I have yet to find the courage to actually attempt this. . .

Re:Wrong Question

[jellomizer]

PRINT *, 'What is wrong with using FORTRAN 77? It is a perfectly fine lan'//
    1 'guage that offers the flexiblity for all generations.'
    PRINT *, 'Where else can I write code that will run on todays system and '//
    1 'still be able to back it up on punch cards for safe keeping that wil'//
    2 'l last for decades'

Re:Wrong Question

[Anonymous Coward]

        if (x-1) 10, 20, 50
10      goto 50
20      ...stuff....
        goto 50
50      ...

I don't need any of that fancy OO Fortran

Re:What Languages?

[kat_skan]

Because what Yoda would use is it.

Re:Wrong Question

[idontgno]

Agreed. It's a sad day on /. when I look at purported code examples and say to myself "Hmph. BASIC poser."

"BASIC poser" may be the saddest phrase in the geek sublanguage of the English language.

Re:Wrong Question

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe he works for an ad agency. Most of his misspellings look like ad copy:

Stay in school - it's science-tific!

Eat at McDonald's - their burgers are America's favor-ate-s!

Feed your baby Similac - it's sim-u-lar to mother's milk!

Re:Whitespace

[mcmonkey]

That settles it. My next language will be lolcode.

KTHXBYE

Re:Verilog

[cayenne8]

"C (Low level, ALGOL-family structured programming, manual memmory management, pointers)"

Uggh...pointers...BAD BAd bAD......no....not...the pointers again....[trembles]

I can deal with about anything, except pointers. Thanks for bringing the nightmares back again....

:-P

Brainfuck

[megaditto]

Plus it will make your resume stand out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainfuck [wikipedia.org]

Re:I understand that COBOL is pretty hot...

[kellyb9]

I hear that COBOL is a pretty good language to learn. It isn't new, but it is old enough to make a comeback (like disco, aviator glasses and big hair)...

The above actually looks like a syntactically correct COBOL statement.

Re:Verilog

[Anonymous Coward]

I strongly recommend that programmer's learn to speak and write in clear, plain English. It's a vastly underrated skill, and one that is sure to enhance your career.

Re:Wrong Question

[hoggoth]

> I think we (as a community of networked computers)

Wintermute, is that you?

Re:I understand that COBOL is pretty hot...

[Skee09]

Lords of COBOL, hear our prayer.

Re:Verilog

[SETIGuy]

...

• C -- you think you know it, because you know C++, but you really don't. Also, if you're on Unix, you'll need it at some point.

...

To your list above, I would add....

• C++ -- you think you know it, because you use C++, but you probably haven't used most of the features. Sit down and learn the rest of it. Besides, it may have changed in the last year.

(By you, I don't mean "you" specifically, but "you" generically.)

Re:Verilog

[GNUThomson]

I definitely recommend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainfuck [wikipedia.org]. Ever wondered how CPU feels when you remove its cooling fan? Here's your chance. Also letters, brackets and numbers are for wimps. Real men use http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitespace_(programming_language) [wikipedia.org]. Hello world in Brainfuck: ++++++++++[>+++++++>++++++++++>+++>+++.>+.+++++++..+++.>++. Hello world in whitespace: