Is learning C# as a first language a mistake?

Re:Is learning C# as a first language a mistake? by nullymcnull on Thursday November 28, 2013 @07:46PM (#6817306)

  C# is basically Java with some minor differences

Just about everyone I see saying this stopped seriously following or working with C# back at 2.0 or earlier. The changes since then have produced a very different beast than Java. Whether it has origins in NIH syndrome is entirely besides the point - MS was bolder with the language and the framework than Java's sluggish committees, and at the end of the day has built the better mousetrap.

IMO any novice who isn't Windows phobic would be better off learning it than Java, in part because it will expose them to a wider range of language constructs and capabilities (pseudo-functional bits, task parallel stuff, etc).

That said, a total novice would probably be better off dabbling in a dynamic language like Python than taking on either Java or C#. Nothing like a REPL for getting your feet wet.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is learning C# as a first language a mistake? by na85 on Thursday November 28, 2013 @08:14PM (#6817378)

Will novice programmers be using pseudo-functional bits and running parallel tasks? IIRC we're talking about someone's first language, i.e. they're at the hello world stage.

I don't see that person running parallelization schemes in their first 3 years.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is learning C# as a first language a mistake? by usea on Thursday November 28, 2013 @08:23PM (#6817403)

They will be exposed to higher-order functions very early on, as LINQ is one of the most popular features. You get early exposure to lambdas, functions as parameters, generators, and probably closures.

These are valuable concepts to be exposed to, and IMO provide an advantage over learning Java.

[ Parent | on HN ]