Web and WebWorks Development

[goku_vegeta]

Hey Everyone, 

I'm not sure if this is the right section to be posting this but here goes. (Hopefully it is )

So with the past events seeing where RIM is at and what RIM has been doing lately, I figured I think I'll try learning how to program. Now I know the PlayBook supports multiple programming languages, but I'm not sure which one I should try to learn and then eventually code with. 

As well as what programming language should I be concerned with learning first?

If anyone could provide any help that would be wonderful. 

Thanks in advance everyone.

[interfaSys]

If you're interested in more than one platform, I would learn Javascript.

[Levion]

Do you have any background in other languages?

JavaScript/HTML5 is really nice because it's very flexible and portable, but it has many pitfalls and maybe isn't the first choice learning software development.

[goku_vegeta]

Thanks for all the replies so far everyone. 

I actually don't have a lot of knowledge in Javascript at the moment, all I was able to do was setup a web application which opens the browser in a chromless window and goes to whichever website I had wanted it to go to, pretty basic stuff. 

Interestingly enough, I was looking through some HTML5 books and I figured perhaps I should start with HTML5. As a total beginner I'm not entirely sure what the best route to take would be, I've also contemplated taking programming courses at my university, although they use high level programming tools, and I understand correctly, programming in HTML5 or Javascript would be considered as low level programming?

Thanks again for all the answers, definitely appreciate it.

[interfaSys]

I always find it more motivating when you can get a decent result without having to put in too much effort and for that reason, I'd recommend you pick-up an HTML5 framework to play with. I'd also recommend you get a basic understanding of Object Oriented programming and maybe pattern design (at least MVC). The course at your uni probably covers this. This is high-level programming. Low level is talking to the chips directly (writting drivers, etc.).

[goku_vegeta]

Thanks for the tip, I thought high level programming consisted of coding at the level of direct user input eg. put "hello" as a command in Turing for instance. I'm checking out some frameworks for HTML5, I picked up the book. "HTML5 for dummies" the other day and just flipping through the table of contents, there seems to be a lot you can do with HTML5. I couldn't find any HTML5 specific courses at my university, although when they say computer programming I assume they will either be java or C/C++, I'll be sure to check it out and ask if I want to take that course because perhaps it could be really useful