What language should I learn?

I'm a graphic design major (not really tech, I know). Lately I've been getting really lazy and have been doing nothing in my spare time except pvp on WoW.

I figured learning a new language would be a good idea, and might help me in the future with landing a job. What would be best to learn? Maybe something like html perhaps? I basically want it to compliment and strengthen myself as a graphic design artist, broadening my abilities within the appropriate spectrum.

FACT: Artists can't program, learn to use GIMP.
Fact proved by:
What language should I learn? Maybe something like HTML?

>>2
MDickie would like to prove otherwise.

Well, I guess that you could turn into a web designer. The usual advice is to read through htmldog.com's guides to get properly acquainted with HTML and CSS, to make static web pages. That is not 'programming' proper, since you are just encoding a design for a browser to display.

Then you could move to Javascript and then learn some web framework. I can't give much advice here because I have only used one called ZK but it probably isn't targeted to you. Try to avoid PHP; the language is ubiquitous but badly designed and the web is saturated with bad tutorials about it. Django is usually recommended, for the Python programming language, Rails for Ruby, but I can't say much more about them.

>What would be best to learn? Maybe something like html perhaps?

If only you were trolling

I'm a graphic designer, and while I don't consider myself a real programmer, I will tell you that my first language was C++. I used it to understand/write hacks for GoldSrc/Counter-Strike. C++ introduced me to a lot of important concepts, from how computer memory works to "thinking in objects." It's a controversial language here and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a first language, but I think one day you'd benefit from writing programs in a compiled system language.

Ultimately, I recommend Javascript. It is relevant to your field (should you be interested in webdesign), and I just love the language.

Actionscript might be a more practical way to get into some Javascript concepts. It's based on the same standard as Javscript, but it also borrows some conventions from Java, which will help you stay organized before you're good enough to confidently work with the looseness of Javascript.

I think Python would probably be a good starting language, too, but I don't have much experience with it. "FIOC" gets a lot of shit here, but I think it would be great for getting a new programmer to think in "blocks" of code.

You should also take a look at proce55ing, which is a Java framework. You can make some cool little toys with it pretty quickly, and it's very noob-friendly. It will help you through some programming concepts, but keep in mind that you should at the same time be learning a language (and not a framework) -- and I can't say I can recommend Java.

>>6
Well, shit, I read C++, was starting to yell "Don't use C++", then you corrected yourself, I read Python and then you said "FIOC". Same for Java.

Your post is unassailable.

>>1, just listen to >>6.

>>7
I think the question and the way this thread is approaching it is flawed in an academic sense: don't learn a language, learn how to program.

This thread again?

>>8
academic sense [...] learn how to program.
Or How to Design Programs? How to Structure and Interpret a Computer Program?
Then, yeah, >>1 should read SICP and HtDP.

that's cool and all, but check 'em