I have to disagree with one statement by Martin. There is no "Windows only" language, there are just "Windows only" compilers It depends on how you define a "language". Sure, basic K&R C is a programming language, but it only has 37 commands. You can't write much of an application in it without libraries. So, you learn the simple, 37 command language in a few days, then spend weeks mastering the standard libraries (stdio.h, math.h, etc). Then, when you move on to more complex programming tasks, you learn more complex libraries. By the time you're through, learning the library is much more work than learning the language. C++ makes the situation even worse. My favorite GUI library and C++ application framework is Borland's OWL. This library exists in a C++ and a Pascal (Delphi) version. I have an easier time transitioning from Pascal OWL to C++ OWL than I do staying in C++ and going from OWL to another class library, such as MFC (Microsoft Foundation Class). So, in the truest sense, OWL is the language, C++ and Pascal are implementation details.