What was you first programming language ?

[LB]

I started with the tutorial on this site:
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/

Google is your friend - there are loads of great resources. Just be sure you examine multiple resources - not all are accurate. StackOverflow is usually good resource, just read more than the first couple answers.

If you are interested in textbooks, try any from this list:
http://stackoverflow.com/a/388282/1959975
Be aware there are many bad textbooks (e.g. "C++ Primer Plus" is bad and by a different author than "C++ Primer")

I've heard tell of Bucky's C++ tutorials but I have not watched them myself, so I cannot speak of the quality.

[2LzbRXSz]

As LB said, the tutorials on this site are pretty handy.

Once you have a basic understanding, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rub-JsjMhWY is a really good video to gloss over what you've learned.

[TarikNeaj]

I've heard tell of Bucky's C++ tutorials but I have not watched them myself, so I cannot speak of the quality.

It is quite good, but very basic, as in he only shows as much as is needed for the person watching to understand the concept. He uses very simple examples. I would recommend watching his videos (You'll find the link at the end of this post) but you cant stop there. You have to code with him, and try a bit yourself, make your own examples, you know stuff like that. They say dogs are your best friends, but I say google is your best friend, so use that to your advantage as @LB said. I'll also send you a link to another playlist of video Tutorials. This guy is also good and I recommend it aswell. He shows much more things than bucky, c++11 features among others.

Bucky - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAE85DE8440AA6B83

CodingMadeEasy - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2DD6A625AD033D36

[Texan40]

I learned BASIC first, as we had Apple IIe machines in school then continued when I got a Commodore 64. I Took 8086 assembly, Pascal, COBOL, Fortran, C, then C++; The assembly was very useful in understanding how data are stored and how registers and flags work, and how memory is addressed. I have played with Python, C#, and Java since but I still prefer to work in C++;

[D80DSL3A]

I was introduced to programming via two required courses in Pascal in college. These were required for my physics degree. We used the schools VAX/VMS mainframe.
I took one course in Fortran later. I didn't like programming then, but this background did plant the seed for a hobby interest to form years later. After I was out of school I missed having technical subjects to study.

A programming friend recommended I try c, which led to c++ when I bought a copy (on disc!) of Visual c++ 6.0. I've been playing around in c++ ever since. What a remarkably versatile language!

[admkrk]

I've heard tell of Bucky's C++ tutorials but I have not watched them myself, so I cannot speak of the quality.

I had one linked in a class a couple months ago entitled "how to install a compiler", or something like that, The video was about installing outdated devC++. Didn't watch anymore after I saw that.

imho, what route to follow, depends entirely on what you want to do. There is no point to learning game or GUI programming, if you are looking towards automation/embedded programming, for example.

The biggest problem with C++ is the range of programs that can be made using it. With PHP, you are limited to web based applications, more or less. Java is not used much outside those limits either, although it has farther reaches. Most languages, besides C/C++ tend to be specialized in one area or another. C/C++ can, and is, used almost everywhere.