I found this Introduction to Computer Science course very interesting:
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...o-computer-science-and-programming-fall-2008/
It's done with Python plus a bit of matplotlib. I've enjoyed every bit of this course and I came to like how easy to work with Python is. They work with Python 2.x series, but I did it all with Python 3.2--it wasn't all that hard to modify the given source code. This language has a lot of very useful libraries to work with and it seems very well documented for a novice like (my associate/bachelor's got nothing to do with CS) me to do many things from scratch.
There's this other course that does basically the same:
http://cs50.tv/2010/fall/ But they teach it with C which leads to your learning more about how the computer really works. But for some reason I didn't really like the course as it seemed very focused on 18yo persons going to college rather than adults doing this on the side on whatever free time they have. Maybe it's just the way they chose to teach the stuff, but I didn't enjoy it. I stopped by lecture 7 or 8. Even then, I came to like C a lot and I'd love to learn more about C, how the machine works, data structures, writing nice code, etc.
I've not done the following course, but it's for mobile applications in both Android and its Apple counterpart:
http://cs76.tv/2011/spring/
I hope this helps!
By the way, if someone could point me to any other courses, books, etc. (if free the better!) that lead to know how the machine works, data structures, database theory, design of graphical interfaces, writing well structured code, algorithms, OOP, etc. that's basically the notes of any CS student I guess, please let me know!
Right now, I'd be happy if I was able to do the same things in C that I can easily do with Python. I like C as it's very fast, but I must write my own data structures, etc. for which I have no training. Also, I don't know of any libraries for GUIs, something similar to matplotlib, something to scrape websites like beautiful soap, etc. It seems a lot easier to throw a Google search and reap tons of useful data for working with Python. But when it comes to C it seems I fell into a black hole. LOL
Anyway, good look to the Original Poster and I hope I didn't hijack his or her threat too much.