Hi, I am a maya user and would like to get more into MEL. My MEL knowledge is very limited, i have nearly no programming experience.
Is it advisable to just start learning MEL or should I invest some time in doing a shortcourse in C++ first`?
You don't need to know c++ to learn mel but the basics of c programming apply to either language.
I agree--you don't need to know C++ before MEL.
Certainly if you do know C++ then MEL takes almost no effort to learn--but that's because C++ is much harder. So if you just want to know MEL, then going C++ first is just extra work for nothing.
note C and C++ are two different things... C is more like mel while C++ can certainly do c syntax more or less its still opbect oriented or atleast designed to be. Wich mel isnt so its like learning to do soemthing upside down. Mel is more like C.
Also the difference between C adn C++ is about as much as the difference between C and mel (C++ being on the otherside of C from mels standpoint), mel is more like a batch script language, more like csh to be precise.
Woah, I've got to disagree with your mel->C analogy.
I understand a little where you are coming from with the fact that C is not object oriented (and niether is MEL) but lack of object orientation doesn't make them substantially similar--no more similar than mel and perl, mel and lisp, mel and python....
I've taught C programming to college students, and I know from experience that the major hurdles that most students need to overcome are learning to deal with all that bratty C syntax. That's why many introductory programming classes teach sytactically simple languages such as scheme or lisp--so that students can learn the concepts without having to deal with the syntax. Because syntax is the major sticking point if you really want to learn some other language before MEL (not that I think you should) I would recomend C++ long before C; And other scripting languages before C++.
By learning MEL as a first language, you're in concurrance with the philoshopy of teaching programming concepts before programming syntax--a pretty widly held and standard view of how the subject should be taught.
I would suggewst learning using shells before learning mel as tcsh or csh clearly the predecessor of mel.
Mel is after all much more lai e a batch script than anything else. Fact that it shares syntaxiacal properties of C doesnet make C any better canddate for learning mel than any other language!
I dont disagree with you i never said one shoudl learn c to learn mel or did I? i said mel is more like C than C++.
Problem with learning a opject oriented language at first atleast fast without pirior programming conceptuality is that YOU WILL eventualy not dicert object oriented things and proceduralism. I kknow iwe tried to teach this to people.
edity, reread my post and I do NOT suggest any action do I just point out dependencies... if i tell advice i say so! 
So if i say a hyena is not a dog but rather something vierd in it own right you seem to think is uggest that cats are more like hyenas just becaus ethey are closer in the braching than dogs.
Back to original question.
I really don't understand why people constantly ask "Do I need to learn some other language ( mostly c or c++ ) if I want to learn mel". It's like asking "Do I need mel for leaning c++".
Thing is, you don't need any language if you want to learn any other language. Just learn any language - it can do you no harm if you gain the knowledge - be that c++ or mel or knowing how to make premium pancakes.
Learn to think like a programmer. You can do this by using any programming language. Some languages will force you to think like elitist-smartass-design-pattern programmer ( c++ ), others ( like perl or mel ) will teach you to think like more pragmatic programmer.
It all depends on your apetites. If you have problems with intuitively learning mel I suggest you don't mess with something like c++. It will just cause you chronic headache.
On the other hand, if you feel comfortable with programming or think you have talent for it just go for the highest point, learn as many languages as you like. After first one, learning any other will be much easier.
Mind you, there is a lot more to general pogramming than knowing the language ( math, algorithms, architecture, patterns etc ).
Computing science, as we call it, is a very broad field.
No you don't.
I did a lil' tcl/tk and lua scripting for the nebula device before I started with MEL. I think that helped a little. I didn't read ANY tutorial so far!
My tips:
* study/modify small scripts
* read the script-editor outputs (echo all commands)
* try out a lot/ learn by doing
I mean... of course I'm still a mel-noob. But I had a lot of fun and even some great results by now.