Where Programming Languages Fall on Autism Spectrum

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I've used a number of languages over the years, some I've struggled with, others are a breeze.

It took me a LONG time to learn C. A very long time. I started looking at C about 6 years ago, and kept trying to learn it, but just couldn't grasp pointers, couldn't really understand strongly typed languages and why I needed to give every variable a type. I do now, but it took a while. The K&R book needs a mention too :p

But over the years that got easier, because once I started learning about how a computer actually works, at the virtual memory level, and what the stack and heap are, and how `gets()` can leave your program, and the underlying server, in serious trouble (Buffer Overflow, Remote Code Execution, Heap Spraying). Once I started understanding this, and even understanding ASM then C became very easy.

I started life in HTML, and database modelling (I love modelling databases, I would actually say I'm an expert at it). Then I got into PHP for a very long time. I started learning OOP, and using frameworks such as Symphony. I started adopting TDD, and the DRY principles and everything started "clicking" into place.

I have also spent a couple of years with C#, but when I ditched Windows for Linux, I started loving Python.

Out of them all, Python is my personal love. I can do a lot of prototyping very quickly in Python. I create a lot of unix scripts in Python and rely on many of them. It's never let me down for what I need it for.

I'm one of these people that HAS to know everything. It's like my personal goal to think like a computer. It's fascinating when you learn and practice exploiting at the lower levels, and being able to manipulate the computer at those levels.

I use an N900, and I do a lot of 802.11 testing out and about. I like to force peoples iPhones to connect to my phone which is set up as a rouge AP. I catch their probe requests for wifi, and pretend to be that access point. Their phone connects. Then it sends out lots of Facebook and Twitter requests from the apps, my phone catches them, and replays them but instead forcing you to like a Facebook page without you even knowing. Or updating your Facebook status with a picture of your current location and freak you the hell out These are the ideas I have in my head, and I like to turn them into reality.

Note: On your phone, turn off the preferred wifi networks. The phone stores those wifi networks so when you are in your house for example, your phone will connect to the wifi for you. But, when you leave the house your phone is still saying "Hey, is HOME_WIFI here?". It will send about 10 per second. This is normal behaviour. But, I can catch that request with my phone and say "Hey iPhone, yes I'm HOME_WIFI". You're phone connects thinking it's HOME_WIFI, and your apps such as Facebook start getting all the recent gossip to pop up on your phone. All those requests are passing through my phone. I can tamper with them. I can see them, and for the geeks around, yes you can even get around HTTPS. And if I were a rouge hacker, I'd be able to send your phone a firmware upgrade and have complete control over it.

But yeah, I'm going on a bit to much. TURN OFF YOUR PREFERRED WIFI NETWORKS! is the moral of the story.

It's all for fun and games though. I like to prove to people that these "smart" devices are not safe.

My skills actually landed me in prison. I used them the wrong way.

I like doing assembler and verilog programming. It gets down to the meats of the hardware. I also do C, C++, Python and Basic as well. I never really like java and C#. I just don't know why.

I'd like to start learning Lisp actually, it's one language people always recommend to improve your programming but I have a feeling it's going to take some getting used to.

My husband is planning a transition to programming. He has no background, but is exceedingly detail-oriented and will be great at the right stuff for him. He and I are trying to figure out what track is best for him - gaming, full stack web-development, languages (C, python)...as you can see, I don't know what I'm talking about. I read through all of the responses, but I'm not following what any of you mean by one language being more 'autistic' than another. Is 'autistic' in this sense a good thing? As in, a more 'autistic' language is a better match for an Aspie? Or the opposite: You mean the more autistic language is less intuitive for Aspies??? Please help us try to figure out where he can start! We need him to take over as the bread winner in our home as my health is not good. I recently went through cancer treatment and am currently dealing with an often debilitating neurological condition.

Please. He is the typical Aspie - literal, detailed, hard-working, diligent, an ace with data and statistics. He is more social than most Aspies, but does best working on very focused work on his own.