What language should I start coding in?

[MofoNofo]

Because they're too busy having their way with sheep.

[ElephantHunter]

A lot of the applications I develop at work are written in Javascript. I use the Firefox extension FireBug to help. Much better than the Firefox's built-in Javascript debugger.

Downloaded.

Javascript apps?
You talking about web based stuff?

Yeah, I'm primarily a web developer.

[bja888]

A lot of the applications I develop at work are written in Javascript. I use the Firefox extension FireBug to help. Much better than the Firefox's built-in Javascript debugger.

Downloaded.

Javascript apps?
You talking about web based stuff?

Yeah, I'm primarily a web developer.

I see flash and javascript getting replaced in about 5 years by stuff like XUL.

[ElephantHunter]

I see flash and javascript getting replaced in about 5 years by stuff like XUL.

XUL is user interface markup implemented by Mozilla that depends on a programming language. Javascript is a programming language. XUL can not replace Javascript.

Perhaps you meant Flash and Actionscript would be replaced by XUL and Javascript? That would make more sense.

[bja888]

I see flash and javascript getting replaced in about 5 years by stuff like XUL.

XUL is user interface markup implemented by Mozilla that depends on a programming language. Javascript is a programming language. XUL can not replace Javascript.

Perhaps you meant Flash and Actionscript would be replaced by XUL and Javascript? That would make more sense.

Not sure what I was thinking. Flex and AJAX will be replaced XUL and serverside. Even though javascript is  the first programming language I learned, there isn't a thing I can't do serverside.

[ElephantHunter]

Not sure what I was thinking. Flex and AJAX will be replaced XUL and serverside. Even though javascript is  the first programming language I learned, there isn't a thing I can't do serverside.

What?... How much do you really know about XUL? Since you're still not understanding, here's a quote from Wikipedia:

"The XUL 1.0 specification is still in draft. It uses many existing standards and technologies, including CSS, JavaScript, DTD and RDF, which makes it relatively easy to learn for people with a background in web programming and design."

Javascript is part of XUL.

[thematrixeatsyou]

ZZT: Lawl, that was AWESOME. If you don't mind the restrictions and just want to piss around, this is a good choice.
VB: Hell no. Avoid at ALL COSTS. It's a pile of shit.
Java: Avoid, it's slow as hell, and the load times are just as torturous.
C, C++: Best choices ever. I would suggest C; never had any luck with C++. Seriously, just use C, that's all you need. Feel free to learn C++ if someone's being a complete dick and has a plugin system that requires classes. Besides, you can still use alternatives to just straight classes in C.
ASM (machine language): Not the best thing to start with, but if you get really serious then this is HIGHLY recommended.

Libraries:
I don't really know a lot, but I've had a lot of luck with Allegro. I've heard that SDL is a right pain in the ass. What about X-Windows and DirectX? AVOID; DirectX is Windows only, and X-Windows is based around Linux - nothing wrong with that, but mainly cause it's a pain in the ass apparently. Allegro handles that, and I think SDL does, too.

Oh, and on this:
"Flex and AJAX will be replaced XUL and serverside."
AJAX already relies on serverside. And WTF is Flex?!?

[chrisgbk]

A lot of the applications I develop at work are written in Javascript. I use the Firefox extension FireBug to help. Much better than the Firefox's built-in Javascript debugger.

I didn't suggest Java.  In fact, I specifically don't suggest Java.

... and you fail to mention why. In my opinion, Sun did a great job creating the language. Java has quite a few advantages over C++. I'm guessing the only real reason that you dislike Java is because of the bad media it gets in the technical world (ex: slow, not open source yet.)

One major advantage that Java has over Ruby is the cross-platform user interface library. SARJ, the first Soldat remote admin with scripting capabilities, could run graphically on any operating system without the need to recompile the source.

The only other popular language I can think of that includes such libraries is Python. Python comes with TKinter, but that seems quite outdated and visually displeasing. Most folks would use wxPython instead.

There are cross-platform user interface libraries for Ruby as well, such as FXRuby(FOX), and some GTK-based one that I forget the name of, among others.