Getting Started in Computer Programming Questions

Last year I learned my first computer program language by accident. I hand copy texts using archival ink to imported artisan paper/scrolls from india and nepal so I can get a feel for how big historic texts actually were, and saw something about Lambda Calculus and jus started copying it all down. It was apparently the first programming language ever developed. I don't know what to do with it otherwise. I vaguely recall programs I believe called AAB++ and Haskell are based on it, but when I looked at Haskell you had to know C++ too.

I like logic in philosophy and know there are database languages for induction.... but I'm uncertain where to get my start. I want to do it on a computer, not a android app, preferably free and at my own pace. Not some coding bootcamp. I have no idea how to load it up on a computer though. Clueless.

What options exist?

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ElwoodBlues · M

I would take a good look at Python for an introductory language. You can go a long way with Python including object oriented programming and all the classic data structures. It even includes lambda expressions, though they are kind of a minor curiosity in Python AFAIK.

I had a professor once who said you don't really understand programming until you've learned two programming languages. So, in your second year, maybe take a look at classic C. Python is great for "abstracting" AKA packaging up complexity so you don't have to worry about it. C is a "close to the metal" language; useful when speed and/or memory size is becoming a constraint. Plus, you can call C routines from within Python, so if critical routines become too resource hungry, they can be re-coded in C for speed and efficiency.