Programming: Where to start?

[bicostp]

VB is pretty easy to learn, most of the commands are easy to figure out, and it can do quite a bit. Download a copy of VB.NET 2005 Express and give it a try.

Classic BASIC is very simple to program with, and your code will run on almost any computer of the 80s with little modification. Aside from being a starter language, it's not very useful anymore.

For web development, read up on SQL and PHP. They're pretty much the standards. (Granted, there are several versions of SQL but they're all similar.)

C++ is good to know, but it's not very easy to pick up.

If you want to make cross-platform command line programs, learn Pascal.

Java is okay and has its uses but I think it's kind of bloated.

I've found that once you learn one language and how to "think like the computer" (to quote my old VB instructor), it's easier to learn other languages. You just have to get used to the syntaxes.

[vskid]

As for your OS comparison, C and C++ are not the most efficient ways to go next to Assembly. The only reason C++ is so recommended and mainstream is because Microsoft decided to use it in everything they do. If instead they were to program in Assembly (or binary, for that matter ), then our OS's would be 10 times faster.

Why not convert it to binary then?

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Why not convert it to binary then?

Because that would be like taking a crummy looking jpeg and converting it to png because png is better.

I'm liking all the suggestions. I'm thinking finishing/relearning VB first would be a good idea. I certainly have no plans or intentions for a KetchupOS, as awesome as that would be.

Any other suggestions?