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I, like many here, would strongly recommend learning C. I don't know if I'd call it "profitable" to do so at the moment, assuming you mean profitable in the mon
by kaens 16y ago
I, like many here, would strongly recommend learning C. I don't know if I'd call it "profitable" to do so at the moment, assuming you mean profitable in the money sense.
C is a good language to learn, and a lot of interesting, well-paying jobs use C, and a lot of interesting open-source projects use C -- but if you just want to make steady cash, you can do so much easier with Java or PHP.
That said, if you go about your programming self-education correctly, you won't have a problem using Java or PHP (well, you won't have a problem in the sense that it won't be difficult for you to design programs in those languages).
It's good to have a handle on how the architecture of your machine works. C gets you much closer to that, and you will learn about a lot of things that are hidden from you in HLLs like Python, but that are still relevant to non-trivial programs.
So yeah. Learn C if you're passionate about comp-sci, or software engineering. If you're learning programming only for a career, it may not be as beneficial for you. Learning C before college is definitely a good thing.
Also, if you learn C, the last chapter of SICP is much easier to do, and you should go through SICP at some point ;)
Don't touch C++ until you need to touch C++. You'll know when that time is, if ever.
- lukeqsee 16y agoI don't know if I'd call it "profitable" to do so at the moment, assuming you mean profitable in the money sense. I was meaning the in overall sense; "profitable" as in good for me. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
- kaens 16y agoAhh, in that case learning C is a veritable goldmine! Edit: Also, if you use linux and end up going down the rabbit hole a bit, C is a prerequisite.
- zavulon 16y agoBeing good at C can be very profitable in a money sense of the word too. Bloomberg is one example that hires a lot of C hackers and pays them obscure amounts of money (very very long hours though)
- kaens 16y agoTrue, but it generally takes quite a bit of time to get to the point where you're "money profitable" with C compared to higher-level languages that are in popular use.
- dschobel 16y agoObscure amounts of money?
- Mentat_Enki 16y agomalapropism... think he meant 'obscene'.
- infinite8s 16y agoI wouldn't call their salaries obscene when you consider the cost of living around NYC. But they are great if you are single and don't mind living in a tiny apartment.
- cdr 16y agoThere's a still a lot of C questions in interviews, plus usually bonus points for knowing it - it can definitely be literally profitable even if you never use it for anything substantial.