Should I jump back into computer science with C# or Assembly Language?

Hey, I recently transfered from another school and changed majors, and now my new minor is Computer Science, which was my major at my previous school. I have already had two semesters of Java, however I haven't really been programming in a year, so alot of my knowledge has slipped away. Next semester, I have the option of taking either a visual language, C#, or assembly language, and I will have to take both eventually. Which one would you recommend I should take first?

Should I jump back into computer science with C# or Assembly Language?
%26gt; and I will have to take both eventually


Uhmm. Unless you want to pad your resume, I don't see a reason to take C#: You already know Java. Java and .NET C# are very similar.





Personally I would take assembly first which will (hopefully:) help with appreciation of computers.... After that, pick something visual like web development, graphics...





Update: Assembly is not particularly difficult but it is different. One needs to pay attention early on in this class.
Reply:Let's drop the "best language" argument for a moment and talk logic. You say you know Java, but have forgotten a lot. C# is very similar to Java in syntax. If you take C# first, you should find it familiar and comfortable. This way you ease yourself back into programming with something that makes sense to you. Anyone who truly knows programming will tell you that the fundamentals are what's really important. The languages are just a tool, and they often change dramatically over time. C# will allow you to focus on the fundamentals. Assembly is more advanced. You will be better served to take this later. You wouldn't try to learn calculus before algebra, would you?





By the way, C# IS standardized. (ECMA-334, ISO/IEC 23270:2003).
Reply:C# or Assembly language???!!! Take neither.





How about you try C/C++, PHP, Python, or Shell Script? I recommend that you learn C/C++, since -- unlike C# -- the C++ programming language is actually an internationally recognized standard (controlled by ISO) and is portable, whereas C# is an ill-designed proprietary language of Microsoft.
Reply:Go for Assembly Language. C# is very very similar to Java, so you won't learn much new there.
Reply:C#
Reply:c#