Semi-experienced with commodore basic, ready for some fun with linux.

[ramidavis]

How can i say this with out sounding like a total idiot...?
About 5 years ago, i got a C64, mainly for retro gaming at the time, but i got into making my own little animations for the holidays, and even managed to make a "choose your own path" type story (mainly just used if-then statements and input commands), and well, thats about all the "programming" i have ever done. Now i have gone totally linux on my computer, and i seem to be doing pretty good, execpt when it comes to downloading a package in tar.gz format and ./configure, make, etc. So, i have decided that its time to stop being afraid of the command line, and start tinkering with linux like i did my C64. Only one little problem though. I have the mind of 8 year old. I tried a guide online that was supposed to for beginners, but even that was over my head.(it was a guide for C though, maybe thats why i could understand it, even though some one had told me that C was just as easy to learn as BASIC, thus why i tried it) So, i guess the whole point of my (not so) little post here is that i want to mess around with linux, even if i am never able to write anything of value to anyone else but myself, but i just have no clue where to begin. So, what language would be good for some one who only knows C64 style BASIC? I have however, made one little tiny baby step, just this morning actually: i managed to make a basic .sh file which when executed in the terminal, runs the ls -a -l -p command, followed by echo hello world:

#!/bin/bash

ls -a -l -p
echo hello world

So, advice for me?
[please? pretty please?]

[LaRoza]

Only one little problem though. I have the mind of 8 year old. I tried a guide online that was supposed to for beginners, but even that was over my head.(it was a guide for C though, maybe thats why i could understand it, even though some one had told me that C was just as easy to learn as BASIC, thus why i tried it) So, i guess the whole point of my (not so) little post here is that i want to mess around with linux, even if i am never able to write anything of value to anyone else but myself, but i just have no clue where to begin. So, what language would be good for some one who only knows C64 style BASIC? I have however, made one little tiny baby step, just this morning actually: i managed to make a basic .sh file which when executed in the terminal, runs the ls -a -l -p command, followed by echo hello world:

I suggest you try a higher level language. BASIC is a little outdated, but you should pick up the basics of Python in no time (Python is a popular language and is already installed).

Python has an interactive prompt, open a terminal and type "python" (enter).

To test it, enter:

print 'hello world'

For learning Python, see my wiki and the stickies. It should have everything you need.

[Guille Damke]

Hello,

This is my first post here.
I agree that Python is a good language to learn for fun or whatever you want to do. Personally, I create my own code for data processing and it works really well since Python has the advantage of having many libraries for different purposes, doing programming really fast.
Good luck!

[jimi_hendrix]

who told you C was easy.......at least they did not say C++

[cmay]

i would suggest python or maybe you would find the basic variant yabasic for linux good if you already know basic. it take two lines of code to produce a open window . i can personaly not learn basic for some reason but i tried the free basic variant for windows. it can be downloaded as a tar gz for linux also if you still want to program in basic when you use linux.
good luck .

[jimi_hendrix]

IMHO dont touch basic if you can help it...

[ramidavis]

Thanks folks. To tell the truth, i was leaning towards python anyway, but wanted to get a second opinion anyway, and see if there was something simpler. I already downloaded a pdf book called "snake wrangling for kids - learning to program with python" i know, i know... its a kiddie book. Gotta start getting my feet wet somewhere. Hmm, yabasic; i guess i might consider it, but the C64 emu vice is workin good for me.

[ghostdog74]

So, advice for me?

you should learn the shell. Check my sig for the link to learning bash.

[jespdj]

Python is a nice programming language that isn't too hard, and it's a very good choice, especially if you want to learn programming on Ubuntu. Many of the desktop programs included with Ubuntu were written in Python.

Just take your time and learn it in your own pace, and have fun with it!

p.s. I started with the Commodore 64 too, long ago - in 1984, when I was 13.