[LBo] Ruby or Python

[Chris F.A. Johnson]

On Thu, 30 Nov 2006, Jackson Robertson wrote:

> To the group,
>
> A while back, last fall to be precise, I took a class on C++. I found
> this class to be a little under taught, the professor had trouble
> explaining some concepts, namely arrays. Since taking this class I have
> hardly even looked at programming as it just seemed out of my grasp.
> Though I really would like to be more proficient in my computer skills
> and have been thinking of getting into programming. Right now I am
> really interested in just two languages, ruby and python. My question
> is which would be better for a computer literate and someone who has a
> little knowledge of programming? Or would anybody suggest another
> language instead?

    If you use the command line, you are writing shell scripts. The
    shell is a complete programming language (there are a few areas
    where it is limited), and learning it will enable you to be more
    productive at the command line, as well giving you a language
    suitable to the fast development of software.

    I have written prototype applications in the shell, and then found
    that there was no need to convert them to any other language.

    Learn the POSIX shell first, then the bash or ksh93 extensions. Be
    clear which is which, so that your applications will be as portable
    as possible.

-- 
    Chris F.A. Johnson                <http://cfaj.freeshell.org/shell>
    ===================================================================
    Author:
    Shell Scripting Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (2005, Apress)