No-one has mentioned JavaScript, which was the first language I 'learned'. JavaScript is used to give websites function, it's loosely typed and good for learning because you can get results very easily, especially when coupled with HTML.
I don't think it's the fastest way to learn if you have the patience for other languages here, but if you find other things mentioned a bit daunting, I made some .pdfs designed to teach 10-15 year olds how to program JavaScript
I'm conflicted in suggesting JavaScript. It's a pretty easy language to learn, very easy to set up (you have a web browser? Great, you're good to go), and very popular. But, it's sometimes just a terrible language. I don't know if I'd want beginners thinking that all languages make that little sense.
I agree. JavaScript is something that must be learned, but I am glad that it wasn't my first exposure to programming. My appreciation for JavaScript is still growing, but that has far more to do with what can be done with the language than with its actual properties. I so wish browsers spoke Lisp. :)
Same. I really don't like loosely typed languages, and JavaScript has some things that don't seem 'propper'. I also can't find any free IDE for it so I spend a lot of my time switching between Firefox's debug window and the code. After I did some JavaScript, I did a C course which was when I really started to understand how things worked, but I think the C course would have been more confusing had I not done some JavaScript first.
Javascript was the first language that really got me into programming. I had gone college classes in C++ and Java before, but javascript was the first time I could write something and see the immediate effect on something I cared for. I dabbled in userscripts as it was a fun way of tweaking what I already liked into something I liked even more; great for motivation.