Beginning Programmer

[pcnerd37]

I would also say C#. You can do quite a bit with it, including games with the XNA Framework or Managed DirectX. It is easy to learn and use. There are a number of great books out there for it as well.

 

[Xavier434]

I only skimmed through the posts, but I didn't see these questions asked so here it goes. Why do you wish to learn how to program? Is this for recreation? To prepare for school? For a job?

What are your short term and long term goals when it comes to your decision to learn programming? Your answers to these questions will carry weight when it comes to which language you will benefit the most from to start with.

 

[slpaulson]

What kind of apps are you most interested in writing? You'll get very different responses based on the answer to that question.

I personally learned the following languages in this order

True Basic - I wouldn't bother. OK for learning something simple.

Java - Nice for learning object oriented design.

MIPS and x86 assembly - Needed as a foundation for firmware programming

C - I write most of my firmware in C. It's a faster to write code in C than assembly, but for embedded applications you still really need to have a good understanding of the system that it's running on to avoid issues.

C++ - Basically an object oriented version of C. I only took a 1 credit course on C++ in college.

 

[chusteczka]

My recommendation is to master the MS Office Suite. Learn Excel to the point you can work the advanced functions without thinking about them. Then do the same with Access.

Then learn scripting and basic webpage design. Besides Office, these two skills are basic to most anything a person will do with a computer. Once these two skills have been developed as second nature, then move on to learn an object oriented imperative language such as Java, C++, or C#.

Microsoft combines all their utilities into the .NET platform and Microsoft Office. Many of the unix data manipulation utilities are actually implemented in MS Office Excel.


Web page construction: Select your alliance now!

• Microsoft uses ASP (Active Server Pages) from .NET.
• Yahoo uses PHP.
• Google uses Python.

Javascript and PHP go well together.

Perl and Python are excellent to learn. Then you can easily move on to Ruby for an object oriented language.

You then have your choice between C++, Java, C#, or even Smalltalk.

 

[piasabird]

basic programming is doing things repeatedly in loops and performing code based on a condition or entry from the user. Visual basic is a bit different because it is a user interface with a few commands.

Any kind of programming interface can teach you basic programming techniques.

C programming is a good basic start because C++ is very similar. However, it is best to learn C first before C++. You can probably find a used MS C++ Ver 6 pretty cheap. Everything is going to .NET so the compilers are pretty cheap and you can use it for C & C++.

Another route would be to get a book like Learn Java 2 in 24 hours or something like that. Java is a little more complicated because it is a little more object oriented. However, you can get free downloads of the Java compiler from Sun on the Internet.

Most books teach you basic principles. The best way to learn is often by doing every program in the book. It may seem like it is just copying code from a book; however, seeing how the code works can really help to teach a lot. C++ and Java are sometimes a little more complicated because they are object oriented and at first it is hard to tell what is happening.

 

[trexpesto]

Originally posted by: chusteczka
My recommendation is to master the MS Office Suite. Learn Excel to the point you can work the advanced functions without thinking about them. Then do the same with Access.

Insane

Edit: OP, I had so much fun with Python recently, but already knew java

 

[formulav8]

If you are starting out I definitely think you should start with VB. There are MANY more resources out there for the Visual Basic based languages compared to the C/C# languages. But I am alittle biased myself

Anyways, I would actually go with VB.NET instead of the Classic versions. You can download the latest VB.NET IDE for Free. You can also incorporate alot of the VB 6.0 codes into VB.NET with some mainly minor changes. Especially API calls and such.

Click here for the .NET Download Page...Click to get the VB.NET Download Page...

Just my opinion


Jason

 

[Brazen]

As a system administrator, I had been trying to learn some programming to write more advanced scripts, to play with, and for a backend to web programming. Ultimately, I had tried out Ruby before but didn't "get it" any more than anything else until I came across this: http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/

I went through the pages there and after that I've been able to write some increasingly complex programs while only referencing that site and the Ruby api documents at http://www.ruby-doc.org/

As a bonus, I not only got a powerful, multi-platform language but it was a snap to transition to writing web apps using RubyOnRails.

It's really easy to just give it a try. You can download Flash Rails, use it to run your ruby scripts (written with any text editor), and then if you don't like it you just delete the Flash Rails folder and it's all gone.

 

[ChristianV]

Originally posted by: kamiller42
I would say begin learning using Object Pascal. It is a powerful language (it strikes great middle ground between C-like languages and VB.), works with native Win32 and .NET (unlike VB and C#), has plenty of online resources including tutorials, and an active helpful community (see CodeGear newsgroups).

Need a free tool? Try one of the Turbo Explorer packages. If you need more power, try an academic priced Delphi or RAD Studio package.
http://www.turboexplorer.com/downloads

There is also this free option. http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/

+1^^

Object Pascal/Delphi Language is really cool, and not only to start with. It's as fast as C++ and easy to learn.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: Brazen
As a system administrator, I had been trying to learn some programming to write more advanced scripts, to play with, and for a backend to web programming. Ultimately, I had tried out Ruby before but didn't "get it" any more than anything else until I came across this: http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/

I went through the pages there and after that I've been able to write some increasingly complex programs while only referencing that site and the Ruby api documents at http://www.ruby-doc.org/

As a bonus, I not only got a powerful, multi-platform language but it was a snap to transition to writing web apps using RubyOnRails.

It's really easy to just give it a try. You can download Flash Rails, use it to run your ruby scripts (written with any text editor), and then if you don't like it you just delete the Flash Rails folder and it's all gone.

This is really easy

 

[dighn]

Java or C#. C# is very nice to work with, but it's more or less limited to Windows atm. There's at least one .NET framework on other OSes (Mono) but it doesn't seem quite ready for non-trivial use. Java is of course still very popular. Can't really go wrong with either. They are both very powerful and practical. Master either one of them, and learning the other will be a breeze, or any other imperative language for that matter.

 

[narreth]

Which is the best for a beginner? Right now I am a high school junior and the only programming experience I have had is novice loop stuff with BASIC. I am not sure if I want to go into computer engineering/comp science etc; or just straight engineering so I would like to learn some programming to see if I like it. This summer I'll be doing an Intro to Java Programming course. It will cover these topics ( I assume that these topics are all very easy/novice, but I'm only looking to get my feet wet to see if I want to go further)

* Module One

. Describe key concepts of the Java programming language

. Install the Java SDK

. Compile and execute a Java program

* Module Two

. Identify uses for variables and define variable syntax

. List the eight Java programming language primitive types

. Declare, set and use variables and constants according to Java programming rules and coding standards

. Modify variable values using operators

. Use promotion and casting to ensure proper storage allocation

* Module Three

. Identify logical and boolean operators

. Examine the basic parts of if and if/else statements

. Use the switch statement

* Module Four

. Create and identify appropriate uses for the while, for and do loops

* Module Five

. Describe advantages of methods and define worker and calling method

. Declare and invoke a method

. Understand the signature of a method

. Understand how to pass parameters to a method

* Module Six

. Declare, initialize, and use object reference variables

. Compare how object reference variables are stored in relation to primitive variables

. Use a class included in the Java software development kit

. Use the Java Platform, Standard Edition API documentation to learn about other classes in the Java Platform, Standard Edition API

* Module Seven

. Analyze a problem using object-oriented analysis

. Design classes from which objects will be created

. Identify the parts of a class

* Module Eight

. Introduction to Swing

. Learning about Swing from the Java API

. Creating simple Graphical Interfaces

What I want to know is if Java would be good for my purposes or if another programming language/scripting language like Perl would be better.

 

[MadFox]

At the end of the day, the processes and skills you learn are more important than specific languages. Learning how to break problems down and getting the basic building blocks working together are pretty much the same in any language. Having said that since you are doing a java course it probably makes sense to do that, you'll be able to pick up another language easily once you have the basics.

 

[Lt 486]

If you want to be a Programmer, learn C. Then C++. Then C#/Java.
If you just want to get a Programmer job, learn interpersonal skills.

 

[Lt 486]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Markbnj
That said, I also honestly believe that we are almost past the era when application programmers had to undertand memory and pointers. I think it's damn near over on Windows, and a few years behind on Linux but ultimately heading the same direction. Software is too ubiquitous, schedules too tight, the masses too dependent on what we do, for complexity to be celebrated. The low level stuff has to be, and is being, buried under less complex metaphors that we can use, so that we can focus on logic.

No kidding. The project I'm about to wrap up at the end of this week started development in the beginning of January, and the specs might have been finalized last week.
As long as they don't change again.

Cool, I hope the mechanic who services your car does not have to know what a torque wrench is.

 

[trexpesto]

Hey Narreth, Looking at the syllabus, I'd say you should be able to do modules 1 - 6 in a day, just off the Sun Java Tutorial

These are mostly universal concepts in recent "Third-Generation" programming languages like java and c++, albeit here with java syntax

If you have a roommate that can fill in the gaps and correct your occasional misunderstanding, that would be ideal. If not, don't get hung up too badly on the details, because you will be ahead of the game, or at least up there with the other non-comp-sci majors.