languages for the Raspberry Pi

@byron,

Unfortunately we got of track and hyjacked Gam's thread,
https://forum.dronebotworkshop.com/help-wanted/questions-about-changing-to-array-from-buttons/paged/7/#post-18437
So I moved my response here.

Maybe a moderator can delete last two offending posts in the other thread?

Byron wrote:
I did program in C way back when (early 80's) but then I got proficient enough in Visual Basic (VB6) with SQLServer to be a contract programmer for a few years (early 90's I think) before going on to other things and I ceased to earn a living as a programmer.

When I retired I got a Raspberry Pi and learned a bit of python. I found it rather fun. The rpi gave me an intro into electronics and then to getting an arduino and getting up to speed on Arduino programming. (sadly I've a long way to go with electronics and need to do much more to get to even a basic level)

On getting the arduino I did follow some on-line courses in C++ but I've not used it in earnest. I find I'm most comfortable in python and love its lists, tuples and dictionary concepts, and the ease of using classes, creating multi-threading and multi-procssesor programs, I could go on but nuff said. I'm not so hot on the C++ equivalents to things like pythons dictionary lists, so I was struggling a bit on the use of maps.

As I see you quite like a problem to solve I've a feeling you would quite like python and would soon get comfortable with it. No denying some effort to get to grips with python would be required, but not so much a man of your calibre would find it too daunting. I found learning python to be much more pleasant than C++. I think Python would have the advantage over Basic in being available on most platforms, though not arduino, and Im under the impression that Basic is not well supported any more (but I have not done any research, and I do miss good old VB6 for the shear ease of getting a good GUI up and running).

The arduino has a huge number of code examples and libraries which is a huge help in getting going with it, though with the advent of micropython that will run on ESP8266, ESP32, the new rpi2040 and others, and also CircuitPython runs on a bunch of boards I think the micropython ecosystem will soon be it equal.

Arduino programming is easy enough to learn, but you've conquered it. I recommend an rpi 2040 board, An hour or two per evening every other day getting up to speed with python and give it a month and you may even be uninstalling your Basic programming tools 😎.

I have used FreeBASIC for the last 11 years because it allowed me to program the way I did on the old machines with the bonus of speed and a large memory. It mirrors much of the basic power of C/C++. So it was a good fit for me. However today Python makes more sense because of its enormous growing support base in terms of libraries and tutorials allowing fast easy solutions to many problems including controlling hardware. I can use either language although I "think in BASIC" because I have so much practice with it. FreeBASIC programs will run on the Rapsberry PI. However I have spent time with Python because that is the language used by RPi hobby projects.