If you want to crank out a lot of functionality and don't want to spend too much time learning details, its hard to beat visual basic. Maybe c#, I haven't used it--like a bran cereal, it is better for you than VB, but I don't know how hard it would be for someone to learn from scratch.

I have done a fair amout of java and would never willingly do a gui (swing) app with it. Between the extreme slowness and the complex behavior of the layout managers, not ready for prime time.

Plus java is a pain in the butt to roll out for windows PCs. People really hate the dos window that comes from a command line start, and you can use javaw, but if you want to set environment variables first, it still creates a dos window.

I wrote a C++ program to launch the java/swing, but to say it can be done is not to say it should be done.

I just re-read the original post--animations, mp3s, swing? Not gonna happen.

Why not? I made an iTunes clone in java using swing. Over 126k songs loaded into it with full dynamic searching and I think it's actually faster than the original Apple iTunes. iTunes's response time seems slow once your file count reaches a certain limit.

I hope this post doesn't get lost in the replies... :/

I have about the same question...See, I need to make a form and possibly database online. Very extensive. Big big project.

This form must:

- have the ability to alter different entries based on the information put into one. For example, the "Customer Name" field must alter the "Company Name" and "Company Address" fields.

- fill out different pages that can be printed off.


In addition, if at all possible, I would like to:

- be able to create a separate "array" document (or perhaps a database) so that I don't have to clutter up my main page with a bunch of information. I won't be the last person working on this, and I want to make it as user friendly as possible. (would also like to find a way to have these arrays update themselves. I want the user to be able to enter new information without any problem, and then I don't want to have to go in and manually change things.)

- be able to store the data in the form before allowing it to be printed off as different pages.

Now, C#, VB.NET, PHP, and ASP have all been reccommended to me for this project, but...I wasn't quite this specific when I asked, and I'm afraid that I'm asking too many questions on my other forum...

As it stands, I plan to try to use PHP certainly (since, from what I can remember of Perl (which, as far as I know, is PHP's little sister) these database-ish things can be accomplished using this) and perhaps C# (if I can't do everything I need/want to using PHP alone). I'm just looking for information regarding whether these languages will be effective, if there are better languages for what I'm trying to do, and any other advice, really...You know, any advice other than "Hire somebody", 'cuz I'm too stubborn for that :mrgreen:

Thank you!!!

Hello. For a beginners language I would suggest QBASIC (QB) 1.1 or 4.5 (1.1 is free but 4.5 costs a little. I got my QB45 for free somewhere...). Java was difficult for me to get into at first, same with C and C+. QBASIC is easy as it uses really simple commands.

Yeah i guess it all depends on what its doing:

C/C++/C#: Large applications/powerful applications (games?)
Visual Basic: Small - Medium applications / low level games
Actionscript (flash): Web development / cartoons / interactive movies
Java: Not really sure on specifically what, but can be implemented into lots of things (web pages, etc.)

Also, if you are just getting into programming, some of the lower level languages such as turbo pascal (very old I know), and yabasic can help teach some of the fundamentals of programming.

I am partial to Clarion, myself. It's pricey, but will do almost anything to anything by way of a database (Currently I am using it to write to Oracle....) and does not require SQL expertise to use effectively.

It doesn't matter what language, do as many as you can. Get a good "in 10 minutes" or "for beginners" book and get going. That's for starters just have fun.

The different languages are for us (dumb ass humans) the computer don't care, all it knows about is the presence or absence of voltage and that's it.

Only by trying several langauges will you begin to understand and learn how to become a craftsman. Read read read, join forums like this one, read LOTS of other peoples code.

Read WIDELY you need to know the history of computers (their hardware and software) and you need to learn a little maths. You can avoid it to start with but you are going to have to come to terms with the concept of bytes, hexidecimal blah at some stage because beneath all that BASIC stuff is a million layers of precariously balanced abstraction that WILL let you down very often.

It will take a while to do all that but don't let that put you off. Just don't waste time agonising over which language to start with it really doesn't matter.

This is very true and correct - and, having learned one (at least if it is a procedural language) makes more easy to add on because the principles don't change even if the syntax does.

Over the years in the industry (around 40....) I have learned about ten assemblers, several different dialects of COBOL, Basic in many environments, RPG (YUCK!), and some folks have never heard of, like InterComm, DataShare, DataBus , ReXX, various sorts of JCL, and others that I have forgot along the way. Learn it , learn it well and then branch out. Without Assembler you can't hope to learn what the machine is actually doing - but any more I file that knowledge under things I can afford not to know, and devote my time to producing what the end-user actually needs.

id say java. creating complex app is easier than other oo language. in terms of GUI java has one of the best and widely used today.

best way to learn java would be the Object oriented first approach.