I learned the basic idea and syntax of programming when I was 12 or 13 using Actionscript. I agree that it's not exactly programming, but it's what got me into it. I then got a book on C++ which got me thinking like a programmer. C++ was something way too powerful for a 13 year-old kid, and I probably never learned 98% of what can be done.
I basically stopped altogether after that, because I had no real motivation, and I didn't understand how to make anything worthwhile. It was kind of like a learning experience.
Anyway, university rolls around, 5 years later, and I'm taking programming for multidisciplinary studies, which is learning Python. I really like python, as it allows me to solve tasks and feel as though I'm actually doing something useful. I particularly like this class, as we've made some graphical applications, something I never managed to do on my own.
Python is good (for beginners) because it hides a lot of the details of the actual processes of the computer from the programmer, and allows them to focus on the task at hand.
Anyway, good luck in your programming endeavors.
