I'd start with Python. Try to figure out how to do one thing that you think would be cool w/ python. Like learning to play the guitar by learning a song you lik

I'd start with Python. Try to figure out how to do one thing that you think would be cool w/ python. Like learning to play the guitar by learning a song you like. Really it depends on what you want to do...but Python is widely used in science, finance, math, and the web (thru django). So that covers all of what I'd want. And it's a high-level (read: easy), widely used (read: supported) language. If I were just starting out I'd use zed shaw's book. As it was I found the django tutorial good; and Norman Matloff's tutorial on scientific python. I'd learn programming in linux. Install Ubuntu if you don't already use linux. You can dual boot and leave the windows side for video games. HTH