Wanting to learn to program...where to start?

[Itachi]

Hey, you guys might've heard this before, but, where could I learn to program? I want to know programming, to the point I can make my own utilities, like FTP software, etc.. If you could give me some sort of tip, that'd be great. Thank you! :)

- Itachi

[majikstreet]

Hey, you guys might've heard this before, but, where could I learn to program? I want to know programming, to the point I can make my own utilities, like FTP software, etc.. If you could give me some sort of tip, that'd be great. Thank you! :)

- Itachi
I'm not a programmer, though I am working on that :P.

I think python is a widely recommended language for Ubuntu.

[Itachi]

Okay, I'll try learning that. :)

[majikstreet]

Okay, I'll try learning that. :)
http://www.byteofpython.info/ is a good resource.

http://diveintopython.org/ is also very nice :) It teaches you differently, which for me doesn't work as well as BoP (byte of python).

-m

[paulfox]

i'd say to anyone wanting to start programming desktop apps, go with python, then onto pygtk/glade development.

for webapps, ruby along with ruby on rails is the way to go.

[SilentCacophony]

I've been learning python since getting into ubuntu, myself. I find it to be a fairly easy learning experience.

Some more python resources you might be interested in:

http://honors.montana.edu/~jjc/easytut/easytut/
http://www.awaretek.com/tutorials.html
http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Python/Cookbook/
http://www.effbot.org/
http://www.uselesspython.com/

A couple of other good links regarding free software, especially if you eventially intend to contribute:

http://www.gnu.org/
http://www.fsf.org/

[Itachi]

Thanks a lot, you guys. :)

@ paulfox
Have any ideas where I could find stuff on learning Ruby?

[David Marrs]

for webapps, ruby along with ruby on rails is the way to go.
Python does nicely for web apps as well.

If you're a complete beginner then I'd recommend getting a good book. You can even find one or two on the web. Also read some of the other threads in this forum. The subject's been discussed quite a lot already. Most of it's simply a matter of opinion, though (like whether Ruby or Python is better for web apps, for example!).

[Drakx]

Nothing can beat the docs at python.org. As for making apps like ftp clients do some reading then some more and again some more then when you think enough is enough do it again :) then start coding and keep going till your 100% with your self and ability then work towards your goal. It takes time and lots and lots of practise, even then you may not get it right the first time round. :)

[psychic]

Thanks a lot, you guys. :)

@ paulfox
Have any ideas where I could find stuff on learning Ruby?
http://ruby-doc.org
http://ruby-lang.org (http://ruby-lang.org)

[majikstreet]

I was thinking about learning ruby a while ago, and found this book: http://www.rubycentral.com/book/

[Itachi]

http://ruby-doc.org
http://ruby-lang.org (http://ruby-lang.org)

Thanks a lot! :D

[iAlta]

check this thread http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=75657, or just go right to http://greenteapress.com/thinkpython/
it's great I'm using it myself. I's 288 pages and about 850kb(pdf). I read over 40 pages the first day. And it acctualy is quite fun!! I had some laughs when it workd.