Should I learn C++ ?

[Charles]

Hi folks,

I would like to create an email client and organizer like MS Outlook, and I would give myself a year
to do this, in the evening & week-ends.
I have been looking for information on how to do it, and I found out I can develop such a program
using C, C++, or Delphi. I am new at programming, I just know some PHP, and JavaScript that I use
for my job, I like it. I don't know other languages, such as object-oriented languages.
What would you do if you were me? Would you choose Delphi, C, C++, or another language to develop an
email client and organizer?
I don't now the differences between these object-oriented languages...
Thanks a lot,

--
Charles.

[Bruno Desthuilliers]

Re: Should I learn C++ ?

Charles wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi folks,
>
> I would like to create an email client and organizer like MS Outlook, and I would give myself a year
> to do this, in the evening & week-ends.
> I have been looking for information on how to do it, and I found out I can develop such a program
> using C, C++, or Delphi.[/color]

There are other languages you could use for that project as well.

BTW, keep in mind that using Delphi, your program will only work on Windows.
[color=blue]
> I am new at programming, I just know some PHP, and JavaScript that I use
> for my job, I like it. I don't know other languages, such as object-oriented languages.[/color]

Have a look at the list of comp.lang.* existing newsgroups...
[color=blue]
> What would you do if you were me? Would you choose Delphi, C, C++, or another language to develop an
> email client and organizer?[/color]

<no-trolling>
I personnally would probably use Python, which is as easy as javascript
or PHP, IMHO more powerful, and has all the needed librairies.
</no-trolling>

But C and C++ may be good choices too - if you're prepared to spend some
more month on the project, since they are far more complex languages
(specially C++) than the ones you actually know.
[color=blue]
> I don't now the differences between these object-oriented languages...[/color]

C is not an OOPL. C++ is not strictly an OOPL - I mean : C++ is a
language that support the OO paradigm.

And there are two main differences between C++ and languages like
javascript and PHP : in C++ you have
- strict, static typing
- no garbage collector (which means that dynamic memory management is
left to the programmer).

Believe me, this makes a big difference.

My 2 cents...
Bruno

[Y2KYZFR1]

Re: Should I learn C++ ?

"Charles" <goatravellers@ yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<bomqmf$1f 3rmj$1@ID-208473.news.uni-berlin.de>...[color=blue]
> Hi folks,
>
> I would like to create an email client and organizer like MS Outlook, and I would give myself a year
> to do this, in the evening & week-ends.
> I have been looking for information on how to do it, and I found out I can develop such a program
> using C, C++, or Delphi. I am new at programming, I just know some PHP, and JavaScript that I use
> for my job, I like it. I don't know other languages, such as object-oriented languages.
> What would you do if you were me? Would you choose Delphi, C, C++, or another language to develop an
> email client and organizer?
> I don't now the differences between these object-oriented languages...
> Thanks a lot,[/color]

I vote for python as a great way to learn OOA/OOP which is a must now days.

[jeffc]

Re: Should I learn C++ ?


"Charles" <goatravellers@ yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bomqmf$1f3 rmj$1@ID-208473.news.uni-berlin.de...[color=blue]
> I don't know other languages, such as object-oriented languages.
> What would you do if you were me? Would you choose Delphi, C, C++, or[/color]
another language to develop an[color=blue]
> email client and organizer?
> I don't now the differences between these object-oriented languages...[/color]

C is not an object-oriented language. C++ is, but is not strictly so.
Since you are new to programming, you might want to consider getting started
right off the bat with OO. Older programmers who are used to a different
way often have a hard time with OO, but on the other hand I've read that
newer programmers with no preconceived notions find OO to be a more natural
way to program. Even if you don't use OO, you can still use C++. I would
rule out C right off the. You can write C code in C++, but it's a "better
C". Other than that, you can also look into easier to use Windows packages
like Visual Basic. Since you don't have much time (a year of weekends and
evenings might be optimistic for a new programmer trying to write a real
application like an email program), you will have less overhead with
something like this than C++. Or at least try some development environment
that packages things for you, like Visual C++. You won't find help for
those things on this group though. This is strictly a C++ *language*
group - not environment specific.

[Peter G]

Re: Should I learn C++ ? [OT]

"Charles" <goatravellers@ yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bomqmf$1f3 rmj$1@ID-208473.news.uni-berlin.de...[color=blue]
> Hi folks,
>
> I would like to create an email client and organizer like MS Outlook, and[/color]
I would give myself a year[color=blue]
> to do this, in the evening & week-ends.
> I have been looking for information on how to do it, and I found out I can[/color]
develop such a program[color=blue]
> using C, C++, or Delphi. I am new at programming, I just know some PHP,[/color]
and JavaScript that I use[color=blue]
> for my job, I like it. I don't know other languages, such as[/color]
object-oriented languages.[color=blue]
> What would you do if you were me? Would you choose Delphi, C, C++, or[/color]
another language to develop an[color=blue]
> email client and organizer?
> I don't now the differences between these object-oriented languages...
> Thanks a lot,
>
> --
> Charles.
>[/color]

hi:



python could be a great choice for you... it is very easy to learn, but is
at the same time quite a powerful language (and object oriented - if you
want it to be)...



i would recommend either reading the tutorials at www.python.org, or getting
yourself a starter's book such as 'Learning Python' by Lutz and Ascher. Once
you are familiar with the general features of the language, you could get
'Programming Python' by Lutz.... this book has everything (and more) that
you will need.. i think the author even guides you through writing your own
email client program with a GUI and other bells and whistles....



good luck

peter.

[A]

Re: Should I learn C++ ?


"Charles" <goatravellers@ yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bomqmf$1f3 rmj$1@ID-208473.news.uni-berlin.de...[color=blue]
> Hi folks,
>
> I would like to create an email client and organizer like MS Outlook, and[/color]
I would give myself a year[color=blue]
> to do this, in the evening & week-ends.
> I have been looking for information on how to do it, and I found out I can[/color]
develop such a program[color=blue]
> using C, C++, or Delphi. I am new at programming, I just know some PHP,[/color]
and JavaScript that I use[color=blue]
> for my job, I like it. I don't know other languages, such as[/color]
object-oriented languages.[color=blue]
> What would you do if you were me? Would you choose Delphi, C, C++, or[/color]
another language to develop an[color=blue]
> email client and organizer?
> I don't now the differences between these object-oriented languages...
> Thanks a lot,
>
> --
> Charles.[/color]

Firstly, PHP and JavaScript are not programming languages perse - they are
scripting languages.

My opinion:

C - Ancestor of C++ and hence a waste of time to learn.
C++ - It would take you 2 years just to learn the language properly and
therefore out of the question.
Delphi - maybe... maybe not.
Java - Popular OO language (like C++ it is not strictly OO). Lower learning
curve than C++, but would require at least 1 year to learn the language
properly.


Regards,
A