My personal favorite programming language. C is at a low enough level where programs are lightning fast, but it’s also at a high enough level where it’s pretty easy to get into and use. Although there have been languages that have come close to it, I don’t think any other language can surpass C.
C++ is very similar to C but has a few differences. C++ has a lot more features than C but that also means that it is slower. I am also not a fan of object oriented programming, I very much dislike it. It’s good if you want a speed advantage over other languages (except C), but want a lot of features that most modern languages offer.
Java was a very useful language. Keyword, WAS. Back in the early 2010’s and late 2000’s Java was the king of programming languages because of the fact that it could be used on almost any machine that could run the Java Runtime Environment. However, times have changed and Java isn’t as useful as it used to be. Java still has it’s uses with legacy code, but I think that it’s a dying language.
I personally dislike JavaScript. It has weird syntax, it’s not useful for anything outside the web/internet, and it’s somewhat slow. Not only that, but some websites using JavaScript can do some pretty spooky things on your computer like find detailed info on your device (What hardware you’re using), track you across websites, and it can even grab your IP address through Tor! Not only that, but the initial release of Javascript only took 12 days to make.
R does one thing, and it does it really well. R is mostly used for statistics, data/data visualization, and etc. If you need a language for those specific things, then R is your saving grace.
HTML(5) and CSS are the go to standard for creating websites. Almost any website you visit nowadays uses HTML and CSS (or a variant of CSS). It’s also great at making simple documents. Very Good 👌.
Python is a very good language for beginners and people who want an “easy” language. However, to put it bluntly, Python sucks. Not only is it one of the slowest languages I know (more than 100 times slower than C some cases), but it doesn’t even specialize like how R or HTML specializes. If you want to learn programming easily, start with Python, but make sure to move on to something else as soon as you feel confident.
The LISP family of programming languages are some of the most expressive and powerful programming languages that I have used. The idea of having every expression as a list is (in my opinion) genius. It makes writing an interpreter very easy and it also lets the programmer tackle a problem from any angle. I think that the LISP family of programming languages would be my favorite programming languages if their performance wasn’t so abysmal.
Haskell is my favorite functional programming language. Although I’m not a big fan of Haskell’s garbage collection system, I still find it a very enjoyable language to program in. My only other complaint is that Haskell’s packaging system is a bit messy.
The speed demon of all languages. If you you thought that C was fast, then prepare yourself because Assembly is wayyyyyy faster. But being literally the fastest language ever created comes with its draw backs, it’s extremely difficult to learn and use. Assembly is very time consuming and requires the memorization of hundreds of assembly instructions. Assembly language is also extremely non-portable and is used very sparsely outside of embedded applications and kernel/driver development. It is not for the faint of heart. If you need speed over anything else, use assembly.
Windows (specifically Windows 10) is a dumpster fire of an OS. First thing’s first, built in graphics support is almost unheard of on Windows. Not only that but the NT kernel really needs a rework/update. Windows is also very prone to bugs, errors, and various glitches, this is a VERY common occurrence for a lot of Windows users. Windows also has countless viruses and malware, including the OS ITSELF (Windows spies on you)!!! Windows is closed source which means that these problems will either take a long time to get fixed or never get fixed at all. The only redeeming factor of Windows is its game library, which is perhaps the biggest game library for PCs. Unless you play video games 24/7, DON’T USE WINDOWS!!!
Mac OS (specifically OS X) isn’t as bad as Windows, but it’s not much better either. Although it does have less bugs, glitches, and malware on it, it’s still pretty bad. Mac OS is based off of FreeBSD and other Unix kernels, but it feels nothing like a Unix system. The user interface is not really changeable, which kind of goes against the freedom that Unix-based systems have. Not only that but Apple locks down certain applications/processes so you can’t configure it the way you want. In a way, Mac OS goes against what Unix really stood for. Not only that but the game selection is really bad. Try not to use Mac OS…
I use Linux. I like Linux. I think you should use Linux too. When it comes to Linux, you don’t have to use one or two specific versions, you can choose between hundreds if not thousands of different “distros”. You can choose everything you want and don’t want in your system, you can change your desktop environment, your init system, your shell, and etc. Not only that but you can get a wide range of software or packages depending on which distro you choose. I could write pages on why you should use Linux, but that would take too much time. Really, when it comes to Linux, you get freedom. If you want to find a distro for yourself, I would recommend that you go to DistroWatch.com.
Not the best Linux distro overall, but it’s the best distro for beginners. Linux Mint (specifically Cinnamon) looks and feels pretty similar to Windows so Windows users will be right at home. It’s Debian/Ubuntu based so support is readily available. The only downsides are that firmware support is a bit hit or miss and it’s pretty large (for a Linux distro at least). However, it’s still leagues better than Windows 10, Mac OS, or any other proprietary operating system. If you’re coming to Linux from Windows, use this.
Elementary OS is very similar to Linux Mint. The only big difference is that Elementary OS it geared more towards Mac users with its UI. I also think that Elementary OS has a very nice “payment system” for software. In Elementary OS, you pay whatever you want for software, you can pay $5, $20, or $0, it’s up to you. Otherwise, Elementary OS is pretty much the same as Linux Mint. If you’re coming to Linux from Mac OS, use this.
Fedora is still pretty easy to use, but it’s a bit different. Fedora is meant more for work stations rather than general use. And because of that, Fedora is really stable. It may not be as stable as Debian, but for a somewhat “bleeding edge” distro, it’s pretty stable. Fedora is also picking up steam in the laptop industry due to it’s stability and compatibility. Believe it or not, Linux Torvalds, the creator of Linux, actually uses Fedora as his main OS. Fedora does not have that much documentation or help as other distributions, but it’s still a pretty solid distribution.
Manjaro is where things get a bit more tricky. Manjaro is based on Arch, but it’s a lot more user friendly than Arch. Although Manjaro is more user friendly than Arch, it breaks more often than Arch. I would only recommend Manjaro if you have at least a bit of knowledge of fixing broken systems. That shouldn’t scare you though, Manjaro is still very easy and VERY FAST. Because Manjaro is based on Arch, a bare-bones Linux distro, it takes up less space and system resources. Use Manjaro if you are somewhat knowledgeable with Linux or you REALLY need the performance boost.
Arch Linux is a bare-bones Linux distro which means that NOTHING is pre-installed for you, you install everything yourself through the terminal. This may sound daunting, but it’s not as hard as you think (at least with the Arch Linux Wiki). Not only is Arch light and fast, but the package selection in Arch is AMAZING!!! If you can’t find a package in the official repository, then you can just use the AUR (Arch User Repository) which is a backlog of user submitted packages. I think that Arch Linux is the perfect balance between difficulty and usability. If you have some decent knowledge on Linux, and you want to customize/make your own system, then Arch Linux is perfect for you.
Void Linux is perhaps my favorite Linux distribution to date. It’s very much like Arch Linux but has a lot less bloat and is a lot more “BSD like” than other Linux distributions. It uses a simple init system (runit) rather than the bloated mess that is Systemd. The package manager (XBPS) is also a lot simplier and is more consistant that the Pacman package manager that Arch Linux uses. It also has support for Musl and Glib unlike most other Linux distributions which only choose Glib.
Gentoo is perhaps the most elite Linux distro out there (besides Linux from Scratch, but we don’t talk about that). With Gentoo, you have to compile your packages, your libraries, and even your kernel from scratch. Gentoo is not for a beginner, you will suffer while using Gentoo, and you will love it. Gentoo will break your soul, you will have to set “use” flags and other parameters just to compile a few packages. However, Gentoo is perfect for an advanced Linux user who wants to have a source based distribution. Gentoo is very good for privacy since it has a variety of hardening options and other cool things. Gentoo is also pretty stable, which is nice. If you’re up for a challenge, use Gentoo.
Bitcoin is the OG cryptocurrency. It may not be the best cryptocurrency, but it’s definitely the most popular. Bitcoin is kind of like the “base” or standard of cryptocurrency, it may not be the best, but it laid the groundwork for future cryptocurrencies. The reason Bitcoin has made a big impact recently is because of the fact that Bitcoin is decentralized and almost impossible to regulate. It’s a lot harder for governments to find and seize Bitcoin/crypto funds despite the fact that it’s a digital currency. Also, despite what you might think, Bitcoin is actually pretty stable, at least compared to FIAT currencies (which could collapse at literally any moment). Overall solid choice.
Ethereum takes the groundwork of Bitcoin and improves on it. Ethereum can use transactions to execute pieces of code called “smart contracts”, this means that the Ethereum network can act as sort of a giant supercomputer. In fact, there are already applications taking advantage of this feature. You can actually find things like exchanges, online games, and even websites run through the Ethereum network. When it comes to versatility, Ethereum takes the cake as the most versatile currency to date. Somewhat recommend.
Monero takes the semi-privacy aspect of cryptocurrency, and bumps it up to 11. Monero makes it impossible to track online payments and transfers. In fact the IRS has a bounty (I think it’s $80,000 at the time of writing this) to whoever can crack the cryptography of Monero. It’s the most secure and private currency period. You can buy and sell with Monero and nobody will be able to view your transactions. I personally recommend using this currency whenever possible. Best cryptocurrency to date.
Stable coins are a mixed bag. Some stable coins are good, some stable coins are bad. A stable coin is just a coin that has a fixed value with little to no fluctuation. Before you convert your cash to a stable coin, do your research. Some stable coins are backed by an item like gold or silver, this is better than a FIAT currency since the coin has a known, stable value. Some stable coins are backed by FIAT which is basically the same as having a FIAT currency, which defeats the purpose of a cryptocurrency. Some stable coins are non-transparent about what they are backed by, stay away from these types of stable coins, chances are it’s a scam. And finally, the best case scenario is a stable coin that is backed by a cryptocurrency, however in this case, I think it would just be better to use a different cryptocurrency than a stable coin. To be honest, stable coins are not as useful as they seem.