If you know one or 2 languages, then you know them all??

[OM2]

I've heard people say this quite often: I know 1or 2 coding languages and therefore I know them all - they're all just different langauges with different syntax

 

The people who have said this have been fairly hardcore programmers

They're saying "I can pick up a new language in zero time"

 

How true is this?

Normally... it's been ASP programmers talking about PHP or vice versa

 

Just something that popped into my head 

 

Would be interested to hear what others say

 

 

OM

 

 

 

[Philip]

It really depends on the person. For the most part, I'd agree with you... however sometimes learning a new language (or even just a different project) requires a different approach than what you're used to and can be more difficult to break your old habits than if you were starting fresh.

[QuickOldCar]

I agree with kingphillip.

 

Although many languages have similar functionality, some also have unique built in functions another may not have.

Knowing a functions name along with proper usage is key.

It's more about familiarity with what a language does or does not have, and using the proper formats as well.

 

For any coding language, it still takes time to learn it properly, or they are just "winging" it with the basics.

[scootstah]

Programming is a process that needs to be learned which is separate from the language. It is a unique way of thinking and problem solving. Once you master this, programming in any language is mostly about learning the API and unique quirks/methodology.

 

This doesn't mean that if you master one language that you are Yoda of programming. Every language is a little bit different and still requires sufficient time to learn and become familiar with.

[ManiacDan]

There's actually multiple KINDS of programming.  There's straight procedural programming, there's OOP, and then there's functional languages like python and lisp which allow for language-level recursion and self modification.

 

So I think the basic premise is: If you can think like a programmer in 2 or 3 of the above paradigms, then the language itself doesn't matter.  You might make some "noob" mistakes, but you'll still have the logic correct.  I knew a C programmer who was asked to do some emergency maintenance to a PHP app.  His code was gorgeous...except he wrote his own sorting algorithm instead of using sort().  That's the kind of "gotcha" you'll run into with a new language.  Certain languages have built-in features to make common difficult tasks much easier.  You'll also have to learn specific syntax and the data types.  Perl has two kinds of arrays (ok, more, but two main ones).  Python's handling of function arguments, especially inside classes, is mind boggling to a new user.  PHP has more than 40,000 built in functions, none of them namespaced, organized, or even named with a consistent style.  However, all of these languages have IF, FOR, FOREACH, WHILE, functions, classes, and lists.  That's all you need to be a programmer.

[spiderwell]

having coded in asp for many years, i found the transistion to php quite simple.