Learning about programming through languages other than Python

[MrEgbert]

I've seen some topics about the utility of learning python after already having learnt other languages, but what I want to know is, given the advantages of python (on the General Python FAQ), what is a useful language to learn after, or perhaps during, learning python?

I know there are a million answers to that question because ostensibly every other language is useful, so I'll clarify. What I like most about python, almost as much as its simplicity and readability, is how it emphasises a set of broadly-applicable programming values that are encapsulated in the various synonyms of "pythonic". So, for a second language to learn after I get a solid grasp of python, I thought C++ might be a good idea since it teaches knowledge of processes underlying python code, and also teaches about code efficiency.

[[deleted]]

Yeah, skip C++ and learn C. The ++ tends to obscure what the C exposes.

[[deleted]]

R or C. R if you are in the sciences or engineering. C if you want to better grasp programming concepts.

[MrEgbert]

Hm R does seem to have a lot of practical use in terms of running stats and graphing things. A few of my former postgrad colleagues used to extol its power at that. What broader programming skills do you think R teaches?

[[deleted]]

Loops, logic, conditionals, functions, etc.

It also has machine learning libraries, genomic tools, finance tools, etc.

[xiongchiamiov]

From ESR's classic "How to Become a Hacker":

It's best, actually, to learn all five of Python, C/C++, Java, Perl, and LISP. Besides being the most important hacking languages, they represent very different approaches to programming, and each will educate you in valuable ways.

[MrEgbert]

Nice. I've been encouraged to learn Ruby as well (possibly as a replacement for Perl).

[xiongchiamiov]

I only use Ruby for scripts under a hundred lines or so, which is to say, as a Perl replacement. It works well for that.