Programming langauges

[Jeff Nesbitt <jsn1@Ra.MsState.Edu>]

I asked a freind for some more information about what language I should
attempt to master to develop some applications and this is what he had to
say.  BTW, my friend works for Raytheon and has been with their R&D
department since about a year after he graduated from Southern
Mississippi...one of the most competent and scariest (if he applied his
computer skills to doing evil) people it has ever been my priviledge to
know.
---------- Forwarded message ----------

I would recommend Visual Basic.  It's versatile, can create power
applications, and supports OLE, ODBC, MDI and SQL interfaces to name a few.
 There are plethoras of DLL, VBX, and other custom designed libraries and
support tools, which allow you to create impressive software with minimal
investment in the programming effort.  It also supports Object Oriented
Development (OOD) and classes/objects (C++ style programming or event
driven software).  There is no end to custom user interfaces, which have
already been developed and are ready for you to use without having to
invest the time and effort to design, develop and implement.

Another possibility, which would offer some significant additional
capabilities, is Java.  Of course you will have to decide if you are going
to throw in with Sun MicroSystems or Microsoft.  This would allow your
applications to be written once and run anywhere (as long as it is a Sun or
Redmondian environment).  Your applications would also be Internet-aware
and scalable (could execute simultaneously on multiple machines and /or
support multiple users) with little extra effort on your part.  Given the
current trends involving the Internet and information
access/usability/currency, this is something you should really give a good
look at.  Java is a 'pure' object oriented language (classes, objects,
methods and attributes).  Its not really harder to program in an OOL but
you do have to spend more time carefully designing the end product.  What
are valid classes?  What operations can be performed on or by objects of a
particular class?  Does the object have any attributes (state or control
information) and are they public or private?

----------------
CLAYMORE aka Jeff Nesbitt

E-MAIL
Claymore@Tech-Center.Com
jsn1@Ra.MsState.Edu

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