What is the best computer language to start learning?

Hi - as long as you are learning the fundamentals and building a strong foundation - the language doesn't matter.

With that said, there some which are popular and can not only further your education but also improve your marketability.

There are various sites that maintain lists for eg: http://pypl.github.io/PYPL.html

I do think it is a good idea to comprehend a strongly typed language such as C# or Java. And also understand a dynamically typed one such as Python. It is also a good idea to spend some time understanding both functional and object oriented programming.

If you had to start somewhere... here is a good book: https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Program-Using-Python-Self-Starters/dp/0201709384

Not the emphasis on "Learn to program" - followed by - "using Python"

thanks

Moe K

It depends on what you plan on using it for. If you're looking to make a career out of programming, and looking for a versatile language, Java is good. If you're wanting to use it within a program, such as ArcGIS (a geology program), then Python would be good since ArcGIS has the ability to execute python scripts. Once you understand the basics, you'll find that many of the main languages are very similar (ie C++, Java, Python, Matlab, Octave, etc.).

Hi, Mark!

I strongly agree with Moe, and just have one thing to add.

You should focus on things that motivate you personally. If, for example, you want to be able to show off websites to people, then choose JavaScript for your first language. If you want to be able to make iOS apps and have the proper development environment, then maybe start with Swift. These aren't as easy as Python, but if a different language than Python would cause you to be more engaged and try more things, then it's better to take the harder and more interesting-to-you path.

It's good to want to be generally prepared for college, but your own preferences do play a role in that.

Basics of HTML/CSS.
Java.
C/C++
PHP.
Objective-C.