[Kequc]

Is it strange that when I consider learning a new language, I don't turn to books? My instinct is that I can learn more quickly and interactively online. Particularly JavaScript, as the browser you are using to browse the websites teaching you JavaScript is already a full JavaScript interpreter and development suite.

No waiting for your code to be processed server side, or anything like that. I pick up a book later on, commonly, if I know the language and want to know more about techniques for building something specific with it.

[erickj]

I use books for libraries and large software projects. For languages I use books as references (early on, sometimes)

But for learning a new language, an editor and a hello world app are where I start.