Allow me to venture a different opinion.
It doesn''t matter. The language you pick is meaningless by itself.
The first question you really have to ask is "What sort of help can I get him?" If the answer is some books and documentation, you''d best go with something simple. If you''re willing to sit alongside and learn the language with him and help, then it''s about what you feel comfortable learning. Otherwise, it''s really about who you can know and find. If, say, you asked me to help him, I''d be teaching him a hybrid C/C++ style of coding. Why? That''s what I understand the best, it''s not too tough for me to explain, and I have a really nice graphics library a windows library and an input library for that language.
The next question is "how patient is he?" If the answer is that he needs some quick results, then that should have a heavy influence on your selection.
But really, it''s all about what you can give to him to help get him where he wants to go. Find out what is that he really wants, and find out what resources you have.
But I would place my money on a good tutor.
Good luck.
