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One thing I'd suggest is to learn a vastly different language. If you use ruby all day, learning python probably won't give you the type of insight that learni
by cschneid 14y ago
One thing I'd suggest is to learn a vastly different language. If you use ruby all day, learning python probably won't give you the type of insight that learning C would. Or learning a lisp.
So much is looking at things in a different way, and a quick way to do that is by picking something across the metaphorical language town, rather than the language next door.
- viscanti 14y agoExactly. Although I've found it helpful to learn similar languages too (i.e. more than one scripting language). Seeing how subtle differences in the languages play out (beyond the superficial len/length type differences) has helped me understand some of the more subtle concepts of computer science. That said, you probably get the most bang-for-the-buck by picking up a language with a fundamentally different programming paradigm or at a lower or higher level than what you already know.
- brandonsavage 14y agoLanguages exist to solve certain classes of problems. PHP, for example, is primarily designed as a web language. Learning ANY language designed for other uses will teach the developer something new. Once you have learned something like Python or Ruby, learning C would probably be the next logical step.