Simple programming

Hello everyone,

I am trying to learn a small bit of simple programming in my spare time, any suggestions...thanks in advance!

 

Any particular language?

Process or Object oriented?

There are a lot of good tutorials if you google around.

My suggestion would be:
Before you try learning programming, learn how to follow and build algorithms. Also learn boolean logic.

Once you know that, programing gets VERY simple, just matter of sintaxis for each language.

 

Microsoft has the Visual Studio Express, which is completely free, with Visual Basic, Visual C, and others... plus I think there are tutorials and online help for it also. Might be a good way to get introduced to it all...

http://www.microsoft.com/express/

 

Hi rarebeast, over the years I've been a programmer amoungst other jobs in the industry and my first love is assembly, but maybe the best suggestion is above in being introduced to programming.
There's a nice sticky over at ubuntu forums, and masses of on-line tutorials. I'd recommend Python or C based language. Python is simple, a beginners and experienced users language, multi platform, simple syntax with some powerful features.

 

Depeneds what you want to learn.

IMHO you are best picking a good book and going with whatever language is chosen, to learn the basics of programming.

Then once you get a grasp of basic things like types, functions, algorithms, piointers, Object Oriented Programming, compiling, parsing etc, pick a language to write something useful with (which may be the same or different).

After you pick the basics up in one language, its well worth spending a little time how to do things in different languages.

IMHO Basic and Python are great for writing apps, but neither are as good as C/C++ (for example) for teaching you programming basics, but allow for more rapid/productive development of software.

 

Long ago, I did some programming with FoxPro as an amateur. Microsoft bought FoxPro and changed the name in "Microsoft Visual FoxPro" and improved it of course.
It provides databases and is a very powerfull language with many commands and functions, so many that it takes some time to learn them all.
It was one of the few languages in those days that had the possibility to combine "data processing" and "text processing" easily, which was very usefull to create all kinds of output-documents.
After two applications, I gave up, didn't like programming.

 

I dont understand alot of the stuff you's just said because I am a complete newbie to programming so I need something very simple to learn....thanks for the feedback, oh yeah I forgot to mention that I'm using Mac if that makes any difference..

 

It would help if you told us what you already know.
I'll asume you are TOTALLY new to any concept of programming, including algorithms.

Here are good places to start:

What is a computer algorithm?

How Boolean Logic Works


More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boolean_logic

Once you are familiar with those terms, start with a programming tutorial, and start building simple programs, like for example a calculator (*,/,+,-) or stuff like that, to get familiar with the language and the structure.


Another option, but somewhat expensive, is to buy a Lego MindStorm kit. Here you can start simple programming a robot. This is a fun and easy way to learn (and great to get kids into programming and robotics).

 

"Very simple" doesn't exist in program languages and it requires alot of learning and experience, no matter how simple the language is.
Try Objective-C under MAC OS X, read the manual and see if you can handle it.
http://developer.apple.com/document...ectiveC/Introduction/chapter_1_section_1.html
In our computer department it takes about 3 years to become an experienced programmer and they learned programming at schools, when they start working.

 

After 3 years '' experienced '' is not the right term. To be a full blown coder take at least 7 years.

 

That depends on the person. Some programmers are really skilled to do this job and improve themselves constantly, while other programmers reach a certain level of experience, but nothing more after that, we use these programmers for routine jobs.

 

ErikAlbert is right.... programming is something that takes a tremendous amount of time and a good bit of effort too. I stopped programming when Windows 95 came out, but in the DOS days I used to spend 12-16 hours a day working on stuff, for years.... It's probably easier now that it was then, but my guess is it will take a lot of time and patience on your part. If you're looking for easy, maybe programming is not what you want to do.. Not trying to discourage you, just be prepared.....

 

what programming language do you think I should learn as a first one, something that can be useful for writing a few small applications like a calculator?

 

I strongly reccomend you get a book and follow examples and pick whichever language(s) they use.
Wrox and O'Rielly are good tech book publishers (amongst others).

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Dum...Dummies-4th-Edition.productCd-0470088702.html

http://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTitle/productCd-0764584065.html

Pick one which comes with example CD's or downloads if possible, makes things a little easier.

Cheers, Nick

 

I would recommend C++ or Java. I personally know virtually nothing about current programming trends, but everyone who works in the newer projects in my area know these languages.

 

Depends on your goals.

If you really want to learn programming, forget about the online tutorials.
For most of the p]rogramming lanuages, there are one, or more, good books to teach you.

 

Start with python or ruby.

This post in reddit.com/r/programming/ has quite good recommendations.

Also stay away from php as a first programming language and the people who think html is a programming language.

 

Visual Basic

 

AFAIK, Visual Basic can't run under MAC OS X, but I could be wrong.

 

MAC? Isn't that a fruit?
Sorry folks.

 

Hi

What about Game Maker? It's relatively simple though (obviously) mainly for making games. I think it's only for Windows though, so you could buy Windows/a new computer or use a virtual machine I suppose.

 

I'm going to get a few books and go from there and I'll keep you's up to date with what I'm doing. Thanks for all the suggestions...

 

Before buying books, let us know what programming language.
Although there are a number of worth-while books for each of many programming languages, there's also a lot of crap out there.

 

True. And that also applies to the computer code as well.

 

Don't know for Mac, but for Windows IMO the most effective and easy to use programming language is Visual C#.