Re: Programming

[aixroot () mindspring com]

Ben,

I'm going to jump in late and say that yes, C is def the language that you want to aim for.  However, if you're brand 
spanking new to programming it's much better to quickly see what you've done and see the results so you feel as though 
you're making some progress.  

I've tried diving headlong into Java and C but a lot of the books out there are either way to basic or way to complex 
for a novice to get into.  This is just my opinion however. 

My first real stab at programing was with perl.  Tons of good info out on the net, tons of good books and there's no 
compiling everytime which makes the development easier and quicker so you can spot your mistakes and get going in the 
correct direction quicker.  

If you're into windows as well then try Visual Basic.NET.  I know most people on this site will cringe at this and 
believe me I'm no windows lover, however, if the syntax can't be any easier and then you can write some ASP.NET pages 
and get to see some real progress quickly.  

Beyond that I'd say python, its a bit easier than perl.  

Once you've gotten a good grasp at the way programming works and how to think like a programmer then move onto C/C++.   
Otherwise you may avoid programming as I did for years because I was biting off more than I could chew with work and 
life and just not having the time to really put into the C learning curve.


> Hi,
>
> I want to begin with learning programming to increase my knowledge 
> about security, but I don't know where to begin. Can someone tell me 
> which programming language is good to start with, and pherhaps what 
> book and/or online guides I should take a look at?
> It would be nice that if I learn a programming language that it 
> shouldn't be much work to understand another one.
>
> I am on Linux and Windows.
>
> Thanks for the help.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ben