I just took a look at python, ala your suggestion and I don't think it would be a very good choice for a beginning windows programmer. I'm sure it's a very nice language but it seems to originate in a unix environment and everything about it is stated in unix terms. That would not only add a new layer of confusion for a newbie but it might make it more difficult to learn a second windows language with a native windows environment.
I'm not speaking against Python per se. I just don't think it is a good choice for someone to start with if they live in Windows and don't expect to migrate from Windows any time soon.
I'm not really convinced that the term "easiest language to learn" makes much sense anyway. The person answering will usually answer in terms of their own experience. My first language was assembly language which I learned back in the '60s. I believe that learning assembly first helped me to be a better high level programmer. But many, maybe even most, teachers of programming; even those who are very fluent in assembly; disagree that assembly is a good first language. They may be right. I may be right. Who knows!
I personally think the best language for a person to start with is the one for which they have the most help from friends or teachers or books. While C is harder to learn than BASIC, if you're around a bunch of C programmers it'll be easier to learn.
I also don't think the choice of first language is a very important one. There are no bad languages. Picking the wrong language is a pretty minor handicap for the curious person.
Barry
I'm not speaking against Python per se. I just don't think it is a good choice for someone to start with if they live in Windows and don't expect to migrate from Windows any time soon.
I'm not really convinced that the term "easiest language to learn" makes much sense anyway. The person answering will usually answer in terms of their own experience. My first language was assembly language which I learned back in the '60s. I believe that learning assembly first helped me to be a better high level programmer. But many, maybe even most, teachers of programming; even those who are very fluent in assembly; disagree that assembly is a good first language. They may be right. I may be right. Who knows!
I personally think the best language for a person to start with is the one for which they have the most help from friends or teachers or books. While C is harder to learn than BASIC, if you're around a bunch of C programmers it'll be easier to learn.
I also don't think the choice of first language is a very important one. There are no bad languages. Picking the wrong language is a pretty minor handicap for the curious person.
Barry