[LivingNet]

In my humble opinion if you aren’t learning C# (c-sharp) or Java you are wasting your time. Most all new development (including phone apps) are done in one of these 2.

[ctdonath2]

C# is purely for work on Microsoft OS platforms. It’s Microsoft’s response to Sun Microsystems averting a takeover of Java by MS. If you learn C#, you’re stuck with Windows - great if that’s what you want to develop for, limiting if you intend to spend much time on other ecosystems.

Java dominates Android and FOSS development. Widely used, but not as much as some think.

On Apple systems (OS X and iOS), Objective-C dominates. Like C#, a must-have for the indicated platform, not much use elsewhere.

C++ is the Latin of software. Awkward, powerful, arguably dead, but a great starting point from which you can either branch to newer descendant languages, or to developing for legacy (loosely defined) systems.

Python, Ruby, and a few others are big for web development.

If you’re learning programming for _fun_ start with C++ or Java then consider something entertainingly esoteric like Lisp, Prolog, Forth, or newer equivalents (akin to learning Latin then Japanese, Thai, or Inuit).

[whd23]

In my humble opinion if you aren’t learning C# (c-sharp) or Java you are wasting your time. Most all new development (including phone apps) are done in one of these 2.

You realize that without 'C', assembler, and Forth there wouldn't be any OS for C# or Java to execute on, right?

[huskerjim]

Great point! Focus on C# or Java!