Hacker News Reader

Comment by dx034 | Hacker News Reader

Thanks for the insight. With your experience, what would be a good language for non-majors so that they can make use of their experience later? Python, Go, C?

View on HN

Python would be nice if everybody uses Python 3. Simple dynamic and most of the Open source stuff is scriptable using python. So daily automation is a real possibility. Atleast that's what I am doing.

I would definitely say Haskell. Second is python, but i feel Haskell teaches concepts better and more efficiently. Everybody has used spreadsheets before, and I think most people can draw a m mental link to spreadsheets with Haskell.

That's completely out of the question at the moment. True, it could potentially be most useful to know haskell for a lot of programmers, but at the moment, the opportunities to use haskell in the work place are actually rare and not to a small part because an understanding of haskell is barely achievable in an introductory semester, while the steep learning-curve of the language is kind of intended as it's usefulness only really plays out at a higher complexity. Whereas, python has a focus on scripts, shortness and quickness are even symbolized in it's name. Script languages with introspection and reflection are best suited for REPL, especially with good integrated documentation.

Javascript in the browser suffers at that because it's opinionated towards web, but OP sees that as a plus and web programming certainly is an applicable skill with a future. Not everyone would have to use facebook as homepage, for example

Haskell used to be the introductory language at UT Austin a few years ago IIRC. So it's been done before.

The point of an introductory programming class is not to teach a language for vocational purposes, but to teach the basics of computation. Someone who understands computation can reasonably be expected to pick up most languages.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com