wilmott.com

I plan to learn a new language, so which one shall I choose? C++, Delphi or VB? I have learnt C before. Can anyone give me some advice, which language is more useful and widely used?

Boy, are you going to get Polar Patrik mad!!

The economic answer is C++. quants with C++ get more money than VB/Delphi ones C++ is much the same language on any Unix or Windows. VB is essentially a windows language, and Delphi is currently Windows with 1/2 a Linux port.This means that your personal skill base is less tied to a platform.In straight number crunching capabilities there is little to choose between Delphi and C++, though far more libraries are available for C++.VB is slower, not so much as some people claim, but the diffference is there.Of course as a C programmer you're much nearer in mindset to C++ than Delphi. Regardless of D's merits I and other C/C++ programers just don't get on with it.In the real world of course, there is a lot of Excel out there, being the default platform for trader data. This means that you need a baseline competence in VBA, the halfwit son of VB. VC++ interfaces well with Excel VBA, once you realise that MS doesn't use technical terms quite the same way as everyone else.C++ is a macho skill. It is by far the hardest mainstream language to master.Thus if you're in the game of impressing future employers, you have to take into account that most employers think VB is a toy language for the intellectually challenged, andthat Delphi is a weird thing for weird people. DominConnor(founder member VB User group

Somebody - please lock down this thread now! - before we get into another infinite loop about the relative benefits of x vs y.Alvin - my suggestion is you learn both VB and C++, in any order, and learn Delphi if you ever need it for a specific job.PinballWizard

WaaghBakri,Hehe - am I that bad? I think asking for tips of a language to learn (or which order to learn several)can be constructive and meaningful. Starting language wars and dwelving (spelling anyone?) overthe same questions time after time doesn't make anyone wiser and lures many people in to religiouswars.I agree with PB, this question has been debated many times before - use the search function.