Chapter 11: High-Level Languages

Overview

In this chapter we will begin to look at our first "real-world" programming language. Assembly language is the language used at the machine's level, but most people find coding in assembly language too cumbersome for everyday use. Many computer languages have been invented to make the programming task easier. Knowing a wide variety of languages is useful for many reasons, including

• Different languages are based on different concepts, which will help you to learn different and better programming methods and ideas.

• Different languages are good for different types of projects.

• Different companies have different standard languages, so knowing more languages makes your skills more marketable.

• The more languages you know, the easier it is to pick up new ones.

As a programmer, you will often have to pick up new languages. Professional programmers can usually pick up a new language with about a weeks worth of study and practice. Languages are simply tools, and learning to use a new tool should not be something a programmer flinches at. In fact, if you do computer consulting you will often have to learn new languages on the spot in order to keep yourself employed. It will often be your customer, not you, who decides what language is used. This chapter will introduce you to a few of the languages available to you. I encourage you to explore as many languages as you are interested in. I personally try to learn a new language every few months.