My 2 cents (probably only worth 1 cent...) as someone who is learning Clojure right now is that it is a great language, but there are a lot of great languages and all have their strengths and weaknesses. Given your curiosity and apparent thirst for knowledge, you wont learn just one language and that is the way to go, IMO. Programming languages are, to me, tools to accomplish goals, and what is right in one situation is not necessarily the best in another.
I started programming using SAS (statistical software), which is likely not the avenue of most of these people. I moved into web stuff, then Java,etc. What is great about Lisp(s) is that it is different conceptually from many of the other languages out there (i.e.- Java), in how you think, but still flexible enough to encompass many problems. That is the coolest part of it to me. So in that regards I totally agree with Lisp as a choice. The difficulty with Clojure is (as others have mentioned) that the interoperability with Java (which is so great) also means that you have to learn Java as well - and really do so simultaniously. That will be a challenge, but you will be better for it, for sure. I rhighly recommend you check out SICP (free HTML book here....http:// mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html and videos here http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.001/abelson-sussman-lectures/) and prepare to have your mind blown. They use Scheme in this class (though I hear they have just switched to Python for this calss now...!) which is just another Lisp with slightly different syntax. It was a good place for me to start. Good luck! On Nov 30, 11:38 pm, Towle <towle.m...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi all, > > Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I'm interested to get some > opinions from experienced Clojure programmers on whether the language > would be a good first language to learn, or rather to learn in-depth. > I have minimal experienced with more common languages like Java, HTML, > and C++, but having the personality I do, felt compelled to shop > around a bit before choosing a first language to learn seriously on a > deep and intuitive level-- perhaps my odd notion of there being a > connection between a programmer and the first language s/he > understands on that high of a level. So after shopping around > thoroughly and picking up bits about on theoretical computer science > and the history of programming languages, I decided to pick up a Lisp; > I'm intrigued by the greater concept/idea behind the Lisp family of > languages. > > After a long while trying to figure out which of the Lisps would be a > good first choice, I stumbled across Clojure and immediately thought > it a brilliant idea, conceding of course that at my current level of > knowledge, I likely have no idea what a brilliant idea in computer > programming looks like. Regardless, it still feels brilliant. > > As I see it, among other features of the language, the idea of a Lisp > designed to be a capable choice for "real-world" code applications, > that is a Lisp which embodies the spirit of that family of languages > yet one which resolves many of the "practicality" complaints which > stand as hurdles on a Lisp's path to real-world use. For my situation, > that of a student who wants both a) to learn a first language I can > have a real, intellectual appreciation for and b) to begin the journey > to "expertise" in a language it would be practical to code web > applications in. > > So, Clojure programmers, am I wrong? Should I pass on Clojure in favor > of another langauge? Or learn Common Lisp or Scheme first, then try my > hand at Clojure? Am I mistaken for a different reason? Or perhaps > there are some criteria I should consider before diving in? > > Thanks in advance, and again for taking the time to read. > --Towle -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Clojure" group. To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with your first post. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en
