From: "M. Edward (Ed) Borasky" <znmeb@...>
Date: 2006-11-19T09:14:50+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby vs Java vs c++

n/a wrote:
> hi, newbie so please be tolerant.... ;)
>
> i need to start to learn a programming language to be able to develop
> custom aps to be applied to a variety of purposes but mainly 1) financial
> data modeling--including graphics and data handling via database queries,
> etc.; and 2) more general business-type aps.
>
> my feeling is that i hate BLOATED sluggish programs (like some Java
> program running on older JVM's and perhaps not written in an optimal
> way....u get the idea.)
>
> if i need to make a choice between fancy and efficient,
> speed, etc., then it's an easy choice 4 me of efficient.
> which is why i have just started w/ c++.
>
> however, speaking to one my programmer friends who is a top level Java
> programmer (the stuff he writes is very efficient and fancy as
> well--great balance), he is telling me that 1) c++ is being phased out
> (except 4 real low level stuff like drivers, etc.) in favor of languages
> such as Java or Ruby. he recommends i switch from learning c++ to learning
> Java or Ruby. i wd hope to be able to choose the best path and not have to
> switch tack in the middle as my IT capablity is not a full time activity,
> but more of a support 4 my main one--finance.
>
> of course, learning curve is to be taken into consideration as well....
>
> 'd love some comments that might help me consider my options and pick a
> path (c++, java or ruby) w/ a higher level of confidence..... i know that
> people here will be biased towards Ruby, but that is fine: i want to hear
> about it....
>   
I think you'll find that Ruby is the easiest to learn, followed by Java 
and C++ being the hardest to learn. However, the heavy math, graphics, 
database queries and other computational finance applications will be 
easier for you if you use a language not in your list -- R. R has a lot 
of computational finance libraries already. Are you on Linux, Windows or 
something else?

As far as general business applications are concerned, I think you'll 
find Ruby is a lot easier to work with than Java or C++. I find C++ code 
totally unreadable, but I can usually read Java code. And having to 
manage memory and pointers yourself is tedious, error prone and pretty 
much rules out C++ for anything but gurus.

Speed -- for number crunching, regardless of which language you use, the 
underlying math and array operations should be done in either C, C++ or 
FORTRAN in libraries. Native Java number crunching is a lot faster than 
native Ruby number crunching, but I don't know anyone who does number 
crunching these days in native scripting languages.
>
>   


-- 
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, PGS, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P)
http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/

If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits fire.