What would you do differently if you started learning programming languages all over again?
I’ve been learning JavaScript for some time, but it is very complex and I think I made a mistake. I should have started learning Python or Ruby first. I am going to try to learn Python instead as it is recommended by most experienced programmers as the language to start with.
What were your mistakes when you were learning to code?
Hallo
I would avoid learning “BASIC” as a first language. A brief encounter with it decades ago put me off programming for life. 
Which begs the question, if school children are given an introduction to programming (some countries do this, others want to) which languages would be suitable for that purpose?
Hi @vr_anticipator Excellent question. I’m 20 odd years into a software development career. I started off many years ago at an evening class learning GWBasic, and unlike you @alpinejohn I was hooked 
With ‘C’, Java, C#, Javascript, and a touch of many other languages now under my belt I have also myself recently started to learn Python and I can honestly say that it has reinvigorated everything I fell in love with programming, and that is plain and simply solving problems. I went on to get a Computer Science degree and a good job in a FTSE 100 company but the corporate world has largely disillusioned me with its sales driven ethos which in my opinion mostly leads to corner cutting and sloppy practices.
Apologies, I’m swerving off topic! 
So, I thoroughly recommend Python. I’m working through this course on edX https://courses.edx.org/courses/course-v1:MITx+6.00.1x_11+1T2017/info it could be a touch difficult for a beginner but what it is very good at is teaching founding principles.
This guy on You Tube takes you from the beginning right up into Machine Learning etc using Python. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfzlCWGWYyIQ0aLC5w48gBQ
What were my mistakes when learning to code? Honestly, I would say that a big mistake is trying to learn too much and spreading myself/yourself too thin. There are so many frameworks and languages now. Better to pick something and learning it well than trying to know a little of everything. Well that’s my opinion anyway.
Hope that ramble helps in some way.
I’d maybe have been wiser to step away from the keypunch and find a job shoeing horses, but i was an instant addict; a few comments:
Don’t remain an employee too long, conforming to other peoples’ standards will rot your own.
Don’t write code for the money, there are easier ways to get money.
Never use magic when you can avoid it, most magic is butt-stupid under the covers; “magic” is a technical term that means “anything you don’t understand”.
This is so true!!!
Yes, I would have started with Python first.
I tried some other languages and they have been a bit hard to comprehend. Python is a good starting point but everyone is different.
I would not start out punching cards in Fortran. 
No, you probably would not have. I wasn’t doing the punching mysef, not after graduation no siree, out in the Real World all i had to do was write the Assembler language down on a paper form, within the lines. Then somebody else did the keypunching. Or i guess they were putting it in through a teletype because what i got back was a paper-tape. Harder to drop, good stuff; when they came out with floppy disks that made things easier. Coffee water’s hot, gotta run…
I mean, sure, that Babbage guy was smart and all, but he was a lousy boss…