Want to help develop linux , need help

[praveesh]

Iam highly interested in linux and would like to add to its code . I would also like to create some open source applications ,since Iam not satisfied with the existing ones in some areas. But my knowledge in programing and in operating system is very little . I have studied c++ in my intermediate classes (not too detailed since its only an intermediate class). I know oop but the knowledge is incomplete . So please help me by advising any useful books or any website that provide online books or anything. Since Iam very interested , Iam confident that I can study myself

[baseface]

if you want to get into developing linux itself, you need to learn c, not cpp.

[Viva]

Studying a programming language in any private Indian institute like NIIT/Aptech is a waste if you want to develop applications that really work. They only prepare you for the donkey work most programmers here do. Read books and try to edit existing open source applications. Python would be a good start because it is easy to learn and all distros ship with python.

[smartidiot]

If you want to learn about Linux there is a great book that you can get.

Linux Core Kernel Commentary (http://www.amazon.com/Linux-Core-Kernel-Commentary-Knowledge/dp/1576104699)

If you want to do open source development you should learn java and get on an opensource project somewhere doing some development with someone who can help you learn more.

[Dragonbite]

if you want to get into developing linux itself, you need to learn c, not cpp.

Isn't CPP used more with KDE applications?

[praveesh]

Thanks to all. For creating a software with a gui, after creating backend with any of the programing languages, how to create a front end?. Suppose I want to create a KDE app.

[rookcifer]

Thanks to all. For creating a software with a gui, after creating backend with any of the programing languages, how to create a front end?. Suppose I want to create a KDE app.

Depends on what you want to do. If it's the low level kernel stuff, you will be using C about 90% of the time. The Linux kernel is written almost entirely in C. But you need to be a C guru to even begin thinking about trying to submit patches or fixes to the kernel (and then you also need an area of expertise like scheduling or drivers, etc). The average run of the mill C coder doesn't have a chance.

If it's high level stuff, like KDE apps, then I would start by learning Python, then move to C++. With something like Python you can do a lot of high level stuff. Add C++ to that and you have everything you need -- with one caveat. If you want to develop for Gnome, you need to know you're way around GTK. If you want to develop KDE apps, you need to know QT. But the GTK and QT stuff is easy to do if you already know how to code in Python or C++ because there are GUI tools you can use to create GTK or QT GUI apps. For instance QT Designer can be used for KDE stuff.

[baseface]

Isn't CPP used more with KDE applications?

i dont know, i dont use either one... c++ or kde.

[inspriation26]

Personally I would do Java. Its object oriented and the syntax is similar to c++ and works great for things like making applications, applets, and servlets so its perfect for Linux. I'm intermediately skilled in java so I wouldn't mind helping.