Languages I Know

Recently, in a particular context, I was listing out the languages I worked with. It is not a small list. So I want to share that piece of information with others.

First Few Languages

I first started with GWBASIC in early 90's. It was my first language and I really enjoyed it. I started with Balaguruswamy's book. Then I read Schaum Series on Basic - A very good book with plenty of assignments. I strongly feel, you must write 100 programs to say you know a language.

Then I learnt COBOL, a lengthy and boring language. I read another standard book on COBOL - Cobol Programming by M.K. Roy and D.Ghosh Dastidar.

My next language was Pascal. I really enjoyed that language. I wrote a lot of programs in Pascal. A couple of system utilties (of course inspired by Peter Norton and his Norton Utilities). A print utility written by me was used in the computer Lab to take print out of programs. I spent many nights writing code in Pascal. In my early days every Saturday was a nightout. After coding all through night, when morning dawns, it was so satisfying to know I did something worth while.

Then I learnt C. It was easy for me to learn C as I had strong base of Pascal. I started with "Programming in C by Stephen G. Kochan and Patrick H. Wood". It was a good book to start with - with good examples. Then I read Mastering Turbo C by Stan Kelly Bootle for at least 2 times. I also read C made easy by Herbert Schildt. But if you want to see the true C, you must read - C Programming Language by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie. It is a master piece. But never dare to read it first. It must be your second or third book on C, not at all first. I read at least 6 different books on C.

For all these langauges, I had a guru. I have high regard for all of them. Basic was taught by Mr.Ravi Varma and Mr. G. Subramanyam. COBOL and PASCAL by G.Subramanyam. C was by Mr. Murthy. He saw a teacher in me. He used to ask me to write assignments on Board.

Then started a new journey where I was left all alone to learn everything. It is lenghty and hard to learn things on your own. But many of us have no choice. At least I had/have no choice.

Early days of self learning

I started learning new languages on my own. I started with C++. It was difficult to learn as I was new to OOP. I read many books. Almost everything that was in the library. I mainly used "Learning C++: A Hands-On Approach by Eric Nagler".

Then I started working with Oracle 5.1. There I encountered SQL - a non procedural language.

I would like to mention one important point here. Those days were difficult for self-learners. I had no internet, no good books available in the local market, and of course no one
to discuss about technical problems. It was at times very lengthy and frustrating learning process. For instance, when I wanted to learn Oracle, there was only one book in the market with the title - Understanding Oracle. If you don't find an answer in that book then the next option for you is Oracle Manuals.

Then I learnt VB 3.0, VB 4.0, VB 5.0 and VB.6.0. The recent incarnation is VB.NET. Visual Basic is the language that every programmer (with heart) loved. I fell in love with VB 3.0 at first sight. It was a great language.

Then I learnt Power Builder which uses PowerScript.

Then in Mid 90's, I started working with Oracle 6.0, which provided PL/SQL for the first time. So one more language to learn.

A brief journey of AS/400

During 1997, I was assigned the task of handling AS/400. It was a good platform in general, but I never enjoyed that machine. Having worked with VB 5.0, Developer/2000 etc.,
it was too cumbersome for me to work with character mode interface.

During this period, I learnt DB/400 (Database), OS/400 (Operating system) and CL/400 and RPG/400 programming languages. Well, attended a training programme (sponsored by my Employer) on that. So it was not self-taught.

During this period, I also worked on ASP (Active Server Pages) where the coding was done with VBScript.

Java and .NET

Then as industry was swung by Java so was I. I started working with Java in 1998 (a little later compared to its presence in the industry). I don't quite recollect what was my first
book on Java. But I read a lot that came in my way. But I generally prefer Herbert Schildt for books on any programming language.

Then in late 2000, I came to know about .NET and started working with C# and VB.NET. Though VB.NET is successor to VB 6.0, one has to learn a lot afresh as it is an OOP.

As web technologies became more important, I learnt JavaScript and PHP along the way.

I looked at Ruby, but never really did any serious programming with Ruby.

Here I am listing the languages that I have worked with from the days of GWBasic. I am not mentioning Fortran, Dbase, FoxPro and Assembly languages that I worked with briefly.

GWBasic
Cobol
Pascal
C
C++
Visual basic
SQL
PL/SQL
PowerScript of Power Builder
CL/400
RPG/400
VBScript
JavaScript
Java
C#
Visual Basic.Net
PHP

Conclusion

If you are in industry for a long time, you get to see a sea of change. Things are changing more rapidly. When Turbo C has only 400 functions all together, .NET library is of approx. 13000 classes (I leave properties, events and methods to your imagination). That gives an idea about the increase in the size of the technology. In today's world, keeping track of two or three languages itself is becoming a big challenge.

I should be proud to know more programming languages than spoken languages. I know only three - Telugu, Hindi and English.

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Comments
Posted By Rajasekhar On 28-Nov-08 11:10:11 AM Hello sir.. Its very good article, it shows how should we behave in industry,how technical we must be growing.Comming to my learing...I learnt C,C++,j2se,oracle,sql,plsql,vb.net,c#.net,.net,PRPC -- all from others.Now I realized to learn from my own.Learning j2ee in the order of topics you mentioned in your j2ee course.Thanks your sincere studentRajasekhar

Posted By gayathri On 02-Dec-08 12:13:00 PM hi sir....nice to read everything abt u....im a student of urs...its really very inspiring while reading ur articles and after listening to your classes...plans hav changed after being ur student. really my fav sir...thankku sir for everything...urs sincerely gayathri.

Posted By T. Laxmana Kumr On 12-Dec-08 01:50:50 PM Sir, your hardwork and very lengthy practice in learning softwares to update the knowledge is a guide (i.e., methods which were followed) to the new learners. And thanks for your guidance.

Posted By Priya On 12-Dec-08 04:30:33 PM Hello Sir, I think your article is not only very intersting but also motivates each and every person who goes through.Simply you teach students not to learn but to explore languages.According to me, you are the Best Guru Sir. I am ur student in javaSE&EE.

Posted By Vivek Mogili On 22-Dec-08 04:53:05 PM Hello Sir..The things that u have done is simply mind blogging,even though sceptics might argue that u have been there in this field for quiet a while..Coming to myself I completed my ECE from A.U. this year...I always wanted to learn JAVA from you sir,which dint materialise....anyways you have motivated me in a big way.....thank you sir and continue the good work...

Posted By Marius On 06-Jan-09 10:18:44 PM Very interesting IT itinerary. I want to congrats you for your commitment and for writing these kind of articles. In spite that I am dealing with a lot of IT stuff I don't have such deep knowledge - your example (next to others) keeps me in a continuous challenge. Thank you & Godspeed ...

Posted By prasad On 13-Jan-09 05:42:29 PM Hello sir, u r my favourite in technical education training, i reqularly visit ur website, nd search new articles,faqs,projects and learn new thing form ur site, thanku very much for everything, i like ur punchuality bye sir, HAPPY COLOURFUL SANKRATHI

Posted By Chinnu On 29-Jan-09 05:50:06 PM Sir, U r Natural in teaching the concepts I am Java SE,J2ee Sudent of urs,also the way u share knowledge thru website great way Thx frm all your students

Posted By nagendra On 02-Mar-09 08:21:41 PM sir,i am nagenedra.i am not a student of urs.but accidentally i read ur aricle.U have changed my mindset entirely..i am a poor student.u boost my self confidence by emphasisizing the importance of self-learning...i wont go to any institute...i will learn all the languages..i became ur fan... thank you, urs nagendra

Posted By chiranjeevi On 18-Mar-09 10:02:15 PM Congrats Sir , Your hardwork really good.In da early days without having sufficient inforamtion of languages,you learned many languages and proved that we can achieve our dreams with hardwork and dedication towards career.

Posted By Manasa Veena On 13-May-09 10:00:08 AM hi sir...nice to read everything abt u.Iam a student of urs...ur hardwork and dedication really inspires us.......you have motivated me to improve my technical skills. Thanks for ur guidance.

Posted By Naresh On 14-May-09 08:42:19 PM Python is another language that is worth touching.

Posted By p.pavani On 17-Mar-10 02:07:27 PM Hello sir,you are very great.Your hardwork really good.In those days without having sufficient inforamtion of languages,you learned many languages and proved that we can achieve everything with hardwork and dedication.I am your student in nov-28 batch in 2008.I met you at big bazar one day few days ago. you remembered me and talked to me that time i felt very happy that day.And the next day u came in my dream and said that "do hardwork everyday".From that day onwards i am doing hardword.Thank you sir for giving me that suggestion in my dream.I am ur one of the best Fans sir.Please remember me sir(PAVANIPALLI) Bye sir.

Posted By radhika On 08-Apr-10 09:21:12 PM sir,,u r really very great

Posted By sirisha On 14-Apr-10 09:02:07 PM srikanth sir u r really awesome!!! i like ur way of teaching n d way u relate concept vth practical examples...

Posted By Ganesh On 16-Jun-10 06:32:30 PM Great sir,I want to appriciate you for your commitment and for writing these kind of isues. At present which books is easy to understand for JAVA and .NET. I hav small known concepts but I poor in program coding.So,please give suggestion and books names.. Thank you for anticipation...

Posted By Lakshmi On 21-Jul-10 07:06:54 PM hello sir.. Learning all the languages after C on your own is truly exciting nd encouraging to know.. I too remember nd owe a lot to my teacher for C language .Jyothi.. I dare not to post the languages i know here coz am perfect in none yet.. I hope i've now gathered enuf inspiration thru many of ur articles..this one mainly..

Posted By D.Phani Teja On 26-Aug-11 10:18:32 PM Hello Sir,this web site is very use ful to us and we learnt so many things through this site.And also I learnt how to speak profissional language.Really thanks for having this kind of great website.Kind Of U Sir-phani

Posted By Sreekanth Settur On 24-Oct-11 04:17:52 PM It's very happy to post you this comment. I really appriciate your zeel to learn new technologies. The way you organized the website is really nice. its very inspirative. Please reply back to me on sreekanthsettur@gmail.com.

Posted By Rajeeivf On 10-Nov-11 04:11:01 PM i inverted after i read your article sir...i really love with you and your hard study length ..what a man in this world...you are a real IT hero sir....because,that time no internet & less regarding IT lecturers....Now IT got a good man.thats Srikanath. but im a srilankan,now im also your student sir... i wish you all success... regards Rajeeivf.R

Posted By abdalla On 23-Dec-11 09:51:06 PM Hi, I have seen your twitter mimic in java it looks very nice, I managed to do all the steps you said to get it installed, but I don't know how to do step 7. Create microblog account with password microblog in Oracle10g Express Edition. This must be done after you log in as SYSTEM user. Then create tables listed below after connecting to Oracle as microblog. Could you please help. I was also wondering if you do private project in ASP.net, for example a website. Thanks

Posted By SIVA GANESH On 26-May-12 03:30:40 PM Hi sir.. From last couple of days I am learning mongodb.. Its a non sql database.. no querries..no schemas.. but easy to learn and implement.. If you find time have a look on it www.mongodb.org Yours student siva ganesh.

Posted By chandra mouli merugu On 02-Jun-12 04:41:49 PM Sir, i'm one of your students in current javaSE batch(may 8) It is very rare to see people like you sir, i feel proud to be a student of your's.

Posted By Subhasree On 21-Nov-12 11:25:14 PM Hello Sir....Really Sir i got so surprised by seeing your that much great interest,dedication towards Programming.You have already learnt so many languages.Sir if i decide to learn any new language on my own then what special qualities are there i must possess?

Posted By Bhimsen Rao On 01-Dec-12 07:10:04 PM Hats Off SrikanthJi, I have Started my career in software industry as a trainer since 1994 and myjourney is on the domain of training. can I expect subject sharing with you.

Posted By Vijay On 05-Jun-13 04:53:15 PM Hi Sir ...Hats off to ur incredible Patience and killer instinct against to learning things.I am praying god to provide such power in atleast next birth if it exists.

Posted By Geeta On 06-Jun-14 05:42:52 PM Hello Sir..., I amazed by looking into this article as you worked in AS400 too. I am one of your Java student and now working in Birlasoft. And I am in AS400 Project...., learning new programming languages CL and RPG but really don't know whether we have scope of it in future or not.

Comments

Posted By Rajasekhar On 28-Nov-08 11:10:11 AM

Hello sir.. Its very good article, it shows how should we behave in industry,how technical we must be growing.Comming to my learing...I learnt C,C++,j2se,oracle,sql,plsql,vb.net,c#.net,.net,PRPC -- all from others.Now I realized to learn from my own.Learning j2ee in the order of topics you mentioned in your j2ee course.Thanks your sincere studentRajasekhar

Posted By gayathri On 02-Dec-08 12:13:00 PM

hi sir....nice to read everything abt u....im a student of urs...its really very inspiring while reading ur articles and after listening to your classes...plans hav changed after being ur student. really my fav sir...thankku sir for everything...urs sincerely gayathri.

Posted By T. Laxmana Kumr On 12-Dec-08 01:50:50 PM

Sir, your hardwork and very lengthy practice in learning softwares to update the knowledge is a guide (i.e., methods which were followed) to the new learners. And thanks for your guidance.

Posted By Priya On 12-Dec-08 04:30:33 PM

Hello Sir, I think your article is not only very intersting but also motivates each and every person who goes through.Simply you teach students not to learn but to explore languages.According to me, you are the Best Guru Sir. I am ur student in javaSE&EE.

Posted By Vivek Mogili On 22-Dec-08 04:53:05 PM

Hello Sir..The things that u have done is simply mind blogging,even though sceptics might argue that u have been there in this field for quiet a while..Coming to myself I completed my ECE from A.U. this year...I always wanted to learn JAVA from you sir,which dint materialise....anyways you have motivated me in a big way.....thank you sir and continue the good work...

Posted By Marius On 06-Jan-09 10:18:44 PM

Very interesting IT itinerary.
I want to congrats you for your commitment and for writing these kind of articles.
In spite that I am dealing with a lot of IT stuff I don't have such deep knowledge - your example (next to others) keeps me in a continuous challenge.

Thank you & Godspeed ...

Posted By prasad On 13-Jan-09 05:42:29 PM

Hello sir, u r my favourite in technical education training, i reqularly visit ur website, nd search new articles,faqs,projects and learn new thing form ur site, thanku very much for everything, i like ur punchuality
bye sir, HAPPY COLOURFUL SANKRATHI

Posted By Chinnu On 29-Jan-09 05:50:06 PM

Sir,
U r Natural in teaching the concepts I am Java SE,J2ee Sudent of urs,also the way u share knowledge thru website great way
Thx frm all your students

Posted By nagendra On 02-Mar-09 08:21:41 PM

sir,i am nagenedra.i am not a student of urs.but accidentally i read ur aricle.U have changed my mindset entirely..i am a poor student.u boost my self confidence by emphasisizing the importance of self-learning...i wont go to any institute...i will learn all the languages..i became ur fan...
thank you,
urs nagendra

Posted By chiranjeevi On 18-Mar-09 10:02:15 PM

Congrats Sir ,
Your hardwork really good.In da early days without having sufficient inforamtion of languages,you learned many languages and proved that we can achieve our dreams with hardwork and dedication towards career.

Posted By Manasa Veena On 13-May-09 10:00:08 AM

hi sir...nice to read everything abt u.Iam a student of urs...ur hardwork and dedication really inspires us.......you have motivated me to improve my technical skills.
Thanks for ur guidance.

Posted By Naresh On 14-May-09 08:42:19 PM

Python is another language that is worth touching.

Posted By p.pavani On 17-Mar-10 02:07:27 PM

Hello sir,you are very great.Your hardwork really good.In those days without having sufficient inforamtion of languages,you learned many languages and proved that we can achieve everything with hardwork and dedication.I am your student in nov-28 batch in 2008.I met you at big bazar one day few days ago. you remembered me and talked to me that time i felt very happy that day.And the next day u came in my dream and said that "do hardwork everyday".From that day onwards i am doing hardword.Thank you sir for giving me that suggestion in my dream.I am ur one of the best Fans sir.Please remember me sir(PAVANIPALLI) Bye sir.

Posted By radhika On 08-Apr-10 09:21:12 PM

sir,,u r really very great

Posted By sirisha On 14-Apr-10 09:02:07 PM

srikanth sir u r really awesome!!! i like ur way of teaching n d way u relate concept vth practical examples...

Posted By Ganesh On 16-Jun-10 06:32:30 PM

Great sir,I want to appriciate you for your commitment and for writing these kind of isues.
At present which books is easy to understand for JAVA and .NET. I hav small known concepts but I poor in program coding.So,please give suggestion and books names..
Thank you for anticipation...

Posted By Lakshmi On 21-Jul-10 07:06:54 PM

hello sir.. Learning all the languages after C on your own is truly exciting nd encouraging to know.. I too remember nd owe a lot to my teacher for C language .Jyothi..
I dare not to post the languages i know here coz am perfect in none yet..
I hope i've now gathered enuf inspiration thru many of ur articles..this one mainly..

Posted By D.Phani Teja On 26-Aug-11 10:18:32 PM

Hello Sir,this web site is very use ful to us and we learnt so many things through this site.And also I learnt how to speak profissional language.Really thanks for having this kind of great website.Kind Of U Sir-phani

Posted By Sreekanth Settur On 24-Oct-11 04:17:52 PM

It's very happy to post you this comment. I really appriciate your zeel to learn new technologies. The way you organized the website is really nice. its very inspirative. Please reply back to me on sreekanthsettur@gmail.com.

Posted By Rajeeivf On 10-Nov-11 04:11:01 PM

i inverted after i read your article sir...i really love with you and your hard study length ..what a man in this world...you are a real IT hero sir....because,that time no internet & less regarding IT lecturers....Now IT got a good man.thats Srikanath. but im a srilankan,now im also your student sir...

i wish you all success...

regards
Rajeeivf.R

Posted By abdalla On 23-Dec-11 09:51:06 PM

Hi, I have seen your twitter mimic in java it looks very nice, I managed to do all the steps you said to get it installed, but I don't know how to do step

7. Create microblog account with password microblog in Oracle10g Express Edition. This must be done after you log in as SYSTEM user. Then create tables listed below after connecting to Oracle as microblog.

Could you please help. I was also wondering if you do private project in ASP.net, for example a website.

Thanks

Posted By SIVA GANESH On 26-May-12 03:30:40 PM

Hi sir..
From last couple of days I am learning mongodb.. Its a non sql database.. no querries..no schemas.. but easy to learn and implement.. If you find time have a look on it www.mongodb.org
Yours student
siva ganesh.

Posted By chandra mouli merugu On 02-Jun-12 04:41:49 PM

Sir, i'm one of your students in current javaSE batch(may 8)
It is very rare to see people like you sir, i feel proud to be a student of your's.

Posted By Subhasree On 21-Nov-12 11:25:14 PM

Hello Sir....Really Sir i got so surprised by seeing your that much great interest,dedication
towards Programming.You have already learnt so many languages.Sir if i decide to
learn any new language on my own then what special qualities are there i must possess?

Posted By Bhimsen Rao On 01-Dec-12 07:10:04 PM

Hats Off SrikanthJi, I have Started my career in software industry as a trainer since 1994 and myjourney is on the domain of training. can I expect subject sharing with you.

Posted By Vijay On 05-Jun-13 04:53:15 PM

Hi Sir ...Hats off to ur incredible Patience and killer instinct against to learning things.I am praying god to provide such power in atleast next birth if it exists.

Posted By Geeta On 06-Jun-14 05:42:52 PM

Hello Sir..., I amazed by looking into this article as you worked in AS400 too. I am one of your Java student and now working in Birlasoft. And I am in AS400 Project...., learning new programming languages CL and RPG but really don't know whether we have scope of it in future or not.