I don't think that the first language you learn matters (except vocationally, of course!). What matters more is the understanding that every language has it's own 'take' on approaching the problem of instructing computers.
This 'take' (more formally called the language semantics), determines the kind of runtimes, libraries and tools that can be implemented for the language.
With this mindset, it doesn't matter which language you start with. When comparing languages, you go beyond simple syntax differences and compare what are the implications of the semantics. This will allow you to make more informed language selections for your project.
tl;dr: learn multiple languages as well as compare them effectively to profit !
I consider myself a fairly decent programmer. Better than a lot but by no means near the best. Through necessity I've had to learn a LOT of languages over my career and I have to agree with you that learning different types of languages will always be more beneficial to learning any one specific "special" language. That said, I HATE HATE HATE learning new languages. Most of the new languages I have to pick up these days are much like the old ones I've used in the past. The stumbling point for me is finding interesting starting projects to work on to learn them(I can't and I assume a lot of other developers can't) just read a book on a new language and get comfortable with it. Even the best language books have pretty painful starter projects for experienced developers. What we need(or what I need to find if anyone knows one) is a site that lists a bunch of interesting projects that target the specifics of different languages with a repository system for people to upload their results to for any potential feedback.
Hello World or my CD collection manager is no fun for anyone that regularly just glances at the obvious first chapter of any language book(variables) for basic syntax.
I don't hate new languages. I hate that fact that I need 27 different programming and scripting languages on a weekly basis to accomplish my tasks. And for contracts in the Microsoft realm, it's a moving target that changes every two years.
As for project ideas, I usually port smaller projects that I've done for home, work or charity into the new language, then try to refine them using the appropriate patterns/style of the language. I've rewritten some semi-complex utilities in C#, JScript, PowerShell, Python and Ruby.
Since I deal mainly with databases, one idea that I've been playing with recently is grabbing public domain data from the FCC or the Census Bureau and building desktop or mobile apps with the results. Example: take the Amateur Radio License information from FCC.gov and build a application.
"What we need(or what I need to find if anyone knows one) is a site that lists a bunch of interesting projects that target the specifics of different languages with a repository system for people to upload their results to for any potential feedback."
I would love this. The biggest hurdle for me learning any new language is what to write. I mean, I can only rearrange my iTunes library so many times. :)
This 'take' (more formally called the language semantics), determines the kind of runtimes, libraries and tools that can be implemented for the language.
With this mindset, it doesn't matter which language you start with. When comparing languages, you go beyond simple syntax differences and compare what are the implications of the semantics. This will allow you to make more informed language selections for your project.
tl;dr: learn multiple languages as well as compare them effectively to profit !