Hi, I don't want to start a flame war, but I have a friend who wants to learn programming. I am unsure exactly what to recommend, but I am thinking that Python might be a good suggestion. I am not sure what specific area my friend wants to write programs for (web, gui, scientific, financial, database) but I am certain that any and every popular contemporary programming language has extensions to cope with most things that are outside of the core. If Python is easy to learn and use then I am sure that the programming techniques and concepts learned and explored could be used when switching to another language later.
I think C may be inappropriate for my friend, but something like Python/Ruby/Java might not be. I am interested in Python myself, and I am currently downloading it to try. I have no personal experience with it though to base a recommendation on, but from what I have read I think it would be a good language to start with. Please feel to direct comments off list if you don't want to clutter it up with OT responses. Thanks, Andy
