Most helpful programming language in respect to the electronics/electrical job market

Robbinz · Mar 31, 2011

Hi all,
I am a 3rd year electronics and electrical engineering student. Im just wondering in your opinions what is the handiest programming language to know?

I have dabbled in C, C++, C#, matlab and java. But I’m hearing a lot about python. And of course there are the older languages such as Cobalt and Fortran.

In your opinion, what is best?

StudentSA · Mar 31, 2011

Im going to cast my vote on C

It is used more and more for microchip programming and lays out the fundamentals of most newer languages.

misterT · Mar 31, 2011

If I have to pick just one, it would be C.

Nigel Goodwin · Mar 31, 2011

I don't like it, and don't use it, but C would have to be the one to go for.

Pommie · Mar 31, 2011

Yup, C it is.

Mike.

BrownOut · Mar 31, 2011

Take C and then C++. At least learn the basics of object oriented programming. I use both extensively in my job as SOC designer. Other helpful languages and scripts are Perl, Visual Basic, C Shell, and later, tcl.

crutschow · Mar 31, 2011

Apparently C started out as an April Fool's Joke.

DerStrom8 · Mar 31, 2011

From what I've heard since joining this forum, C is the preferred programming language. It is easy to understand and write, and it very good for large programs.

BrownOut · Mar 31, 2011

crutschow said:
Apparently C started out as an April Fool's Joke.

April Fool's Day is tomorrow, dude

Nigel Goodwin · Mar 31, 2011

DerStrom8 said:
It is easy to understand and write.

Nope - very hard to understand and write (and even harder to read)

BrownOut · Mar 31, 2011

Hmmm... I find it very easy to read, write and understand. There are easier ones though, and I'll use whichever easiest gets the job done.

crutschow · Mar 31, 2011

BrownOut said:
April Fool's Day is tomorrow, dude

That's why I mentioned it, dude.

crutschow · Mar 31, 2011

Nigel Goodwin said:
Nope - very hard to understand and write (and even harder to read)

I agree. It's like learning a foreign language. Once you understand it it's easy, but getting to that level of understanding is not easy with C.

BrownOut · Mar 31, 2011

crutschow said:
That's why I mentioned it, dude.

But that whole site is an April Fool's joke -- I was trying to drop a subtile hint

crutschow · Mar 31, 2011

BrownOut said:
But that whole site is an April Fool's joke -- I was trying to drop a subtile hint

OK. I guess I'm a little dense and missed what you were hinting at.

Edit:I think I understand. It's that is was an April Fool's Joke about C being an April Fool's Joke.

BrownOut · Mar 31, 2011

crutschow said:
OK. I guess I'm a little dense and missed what you were hinting at.

Edit:I think I understand. It's that is was an April Fool's Joke about C being an April Fool's Joke.

Yes, heh! Ok, my message was a little encripted. I didn't want to give it away

jbmillard · Mar 31, 2011

Best language

As a "C" programmer for more than 20 years, I have to agree with "C" as the choice, but that's not necessarily the best answer.

I'm a manager of a group of software engineers and I do quite a bit of hiring. My suggestion is that you learn to apply the basics (algorithms, data structures, etc) to different languages. It's rare that I find someone that can do exactly what I need them to do -- I look for people that have broad knowledge and can THINK. The people that tend to do the best in my department are the ones that can apply what they know to different situations that they haven't seen before.

So, yes, "C" is a good answer, but if you can't apply what you learn with "C", then you won't be that useful.

Brad

Pommie · Mar 31, 2011

Nigel Goodwin said:
Nope - very hard to understand and write (and even harder to read)

I think most reasonable programmers could learn C in a few hours.

Assignments are obvious, CMCON=0x07;
The basic commands are very few, for, while, if, switch
Not many operators either, + - * / % << >> | &

With just the above you could write most programs.

What seems to confuse a lot of people is the use of braces. These simply group commands together so they are compiled as if they are one instruction.

Most people find C hard to follow because of the libraries. It would be the same for assembler if everyone used a fixed set of routines that you didn't know. Good news is that you don't have to use them until you are comfortable with them, it just means you have to write more code.

Maybe I should write a (assembly) programmers guide to C and test the theory.

Mike.

misterT · Apr 1, 2011

Nigel Goodwin said:
Nope - very hard to understand and write (and even harder to read)

Blame the programmer, not the language. I don't understand Russian and when I try to write something in Russian the result is pretty ugly.
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DerStrom8 · Apr 1, 2011

Pommie said:
Maybe I should write a (assembly) programmers guide to C and test the theory.

Mike.

I have done a little bit of programming in assembly and am learning C now. Though assembly seems a lot easier to me right now , I think once I learn all the commands in C I will probably not program in any other language.

Most helpful programming language in respect to the electronics/electrical job market

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