How Did You Guys Do It?

[Rey117]

I've been on this forum for a few months now and I enjoy talking about different ideas and projects and since the World Cup...football. (Despite my arrogant ways as some of you know). However, I want to do something with my Ubuntu other than spinning my cube desktop around aimlessly. I want to program, develop, create, do something with my mind, hands, and my nifty backlit keyboard. I just don't know where to start? I'm at the University of Southern Arkansas studying "Computer Science" and with a year under my belt I haven't taken any computer classes.

I just don't know where to start...I bought my Palm Pre because I want to do something with it. I installed Ubuntu to do something with it. But, I haven't.

Can you guys help me out?

BTW, How do you guys deal with procrastination?

Thanks.

[Legendary_Bibo]

Learn Python, it's a powerful easy to use language, just don't expect to to learn much how a computer works with it though. I need to get back to learning it though :|

Deal with procrastination you say? I work better under pressure :D

[Rey117]

if I was to look into python what would I need?

[matthew.ball]

Hey Rey, send me an email (details should be in profile), and we can do a simple project if you're interested (sorry just about to run to school).

I have never really worked in a team before, but I am pretty comfortable with programming. I can at least show you what I know, and you will probably help me out too.

[Legendary_Bibo]

if I was to look into python what would I need?
This is what I was using, it's very good for learning and starting out with. I didn't get through it all though. Oh and to practice with it, just type 'python' into the terminal. Also here are some notes I took from what I've read.

[wojox]

Definitely Python. You also need to install:


sudo apt-get install build-essential

Here's some good links to get you started https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PythonRecipes

[tacotime]

I've been on this forum for a few months now and I enjoy talking about different ideas and projects and since the World Cup...football. (Despite my arrogant ways as some of you know). However, I want to do something with my Ubuntu other than spinning my cube desktop around aimlessly. I want to program, develop, create, do something with my mind, hands, and my nifty backlit keyboard. I just don't know where to start? I'm at the University of Southern Arkansas studying "Computer Science" and with a year under my belt I haven't taken any computer classes.

I just don't know where to start...I bought my Palm Pre because I want to do something with it. I installed Ubuntu to do something with it. But, I haven't.

Can you guys help me out?

BTW, How do you guys deal with procrastination?

Thanks.

Yeah really- if anyone comes up with a good way to deal with procrastination lemme know... :lolflag:

[Legendary_Bibo]

Yeah really- if anyone comes up with a good way to deal with procrastination lemme know... :lolflag:
I'll tell you when it's crucial...or when I get around to it...maybe...

[Rey117]

I really appreciate the help guys. I know I will be studying C++ this fall I hope this helps me out.

[wojox]

I really appreciate the help guys. I know I will be studying C++ this fall I hope this helps me out.

Build-Essential will install a C and C++ Compiler.

[Rey117]

Build-Essential will install a C and C++ Compiler.
Sweet.

[Rey117]

Also, I want to work with some HTML...What does Ubuntu use for that? Also, where can i get some good guides to work with. I've been on google and all the stuff I come up with is crap.

[metalf8801]

You might want to start with something like Illumination Software Center
It uses a visual programing language

Illumination is cool. It lets you build cross platform applications (utilizing Python and GTK)

more info here http://lunduke.com/
and I think you still download a trial version to play around with but it does cost money if you want to really be able to use it


good luck with whatever you end up doing
Dan

[OtakuWrath]

i know you can create basic programs pretty easy in Microsofts Visual Basic.. it seems there's a similar program in Software center.. not sure if its any good though..

[Rey117]

You might want to start with something like Illumination Software Center
It uses a visual programing language


more info here http://lunduke.com/
and I think you still download a trial version to play around with but it does cost money if you want to really be able to use it


good luck with whatever you end up doing
Dan
Thanks

[Bachstelze]

Also, I want to work with some HTML...What does Ubuntu use for that? Also, where can i get some good guides to work with. I've been on google and all the stuff I come up with is crap.

All you need to do HTML is a text editor and a Web browser. WYSIWYG editors like FrontPage and Dreamweaver are generally frowned upon. As for HTML guides, the only good one I know of in in French, sorry. :p

[Legendary_Bibo]

Dude you're going to hate C++ after doing python. I took my intro to C++ class this semester, and that language sucks! It's so heavy on the syntax!

[NightwishFan]

Even a fool like me can do python. I find it to be quite fun actually. I plan on using it heavily in the future.

As for HTML, I use Gedit. There was a program called Screem that was designed for easy management of making a web page from code, but I can not seem to find it now.

[MasterNetra]

Also, I want to work with some HTML...What does Ubuntu use for that? Also, where can i get some good guides to work with. I've been on google and all the stuff I come up with is crap.

http://www.w3schools.com/html/

Why not get it from the source?

Like said previously a text editor and a browser all you really need. But if you feel the need for a WYSIWYG editor. Kompozer is a good choice. Also Aptana and Bluefish are good editors though they're not WYSIWYG.


Even a fool like me can do python. I find it to be quite fun actually. I plan on using it heavily in the future.

As for HTML, I use Gedit. There was a program called Screem that was designed for easy management of making a web page from code, but I can not seem to find it now.

Yea it was removed from repo.

There is this: http://packages.debian.org/lenny/i386/screem/download suppose to work fine. Its a .deb build of it for Debian Lenny. But its suppose to work in Lucid as well. (Source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1470512) it worked for one person of course your results may vary.

[Sporkman]

Dude you're going to hate C++ after doing python. I took my intro to C++ class this semester, and that language sucks! It's so heavy on the syntax!

Yeah toy programming languages tend to be very loose on the syntax, as beginners like that sort of thing, and they don't need good performance or extensibility.

:P

[Legendary_Bibo]

Yeah toy programming languages tend to be very loose on the syntax, as beginners like that sort of thing, and they don't need good performance or extensibility.

:P
If you're going to to just play around as a hobbyist programmer, python is for you.

If you want to do major things and learn the inner workings of how a computer works you'll learn higher level languages.

For me, Visual Basic was my introduction to programming and it was fun, C++ made me hate it, then python made it fun again.

[undecim]

If you are going to mess around with HTML, you can also look into PHP, which is the programming side of web development (like how these forums were built).

As far as programming, there are a million languages you can try. My personal favorites are Python and C. I use Python when I don't need performance and C when I do. A lot of times I just need a quick program for a 1-time calculation or problem, and it will take me 5 minutes in python. C takes a lot longer to make, but you get a lot more performance.

If you want to use python, install IDLE. It's the best python IDE i've ever used.

And as for procrastination, you just need to learn some time management and stick to it. Get a calendar (one that you can write in, not one on the computer!) and keep track of projects, etc. Have a notebook to write down the amount of time you need for each part of each project, and then schedule your self DOUBLE that time to work on it (or x1.5 time if you find that x2 time is just way too much)

And don't do everything all at once. You need to break projects into goals and determine the time you need to work between each goal. Once you have one goal done, you can decide if you want to get a jump start on the next one or if you want to wait until your scheduled time.

And then, of course STICK WITH IT. Don't do ANYTHING during your scheduled time. Friends want to hang out? They can help you with your project or they can leave. Your GF tell you she's leaving you if you don't take her somewhere? Tough, you're single. Dorm catch on fire? You better bring your books and laptop while you run out of the bulding!*

Unless you need it, disconnect from the internet completely, and even if you do, you need to either have the will power to not get distracted or find some way to block the websites that you waste time at (If you have the StumbleUpon tooblar, uninstall it.) You can turn off your phone, play some music with some closed headphones if it helps you (instrumental music helps me best, since lyrics distract me)

*Okay, I was being a little dramatic there. If the building you're in is on fire, don't waste any time getting out.

[PurposeOfReason]

I'm going to ruin the trend of this thread.

If you're a CS student and a uni already, why don't you use what language they're going to start you with? I promise you it will not be python. The main reason I hear for python being the goto language to start with is because it is simple to understand and takes away the lower part of the code. If you want that, use a lisp dialect. But no, you're going to be doing this for a major, for a living, so try to stay away from scripting languages (I swear I saw php mentioned ITT and gaged. Pick something that will make you reinvent the wheel. Something that makes you laugh when you realize that you could have make silly code that is redundant.

For reference, we use ADA95 (think missiles and elevator using it) where I go to school. I don't recommend it as online documentation is poor. I'd say C, C++, or C#. The last even despite the bad taste in mouth with the linux community.

[Windows Nerd]

All you need to do HTML is a text editor and a Web browser. WYSIWYG editors like FrontPage and Dreamweaver are generally frowned upon. As for HTML guides, the only good one I know of in in French, sorry. :p
Yes, don't use Dreamweaver - it writes the underlying HTML code according to the Microsoft standards, not the W3C standards, and it only renders properly in IE, which is a crappy web browser.

The opinion of Dreamweaver form a professional web developer: (Found here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1323831&highlight=Internet+Explorer))


Other important point are the web site builders like dreamweaver or frontpage which generate IE only codes, and not W3C standard code. Unfortunately many people are used to those applications (and many university courses teach those tools) and their pages are not rendered correctly in W3C compliant browsers (letting them think that only IE can do the job well done). I think better open sourced web site builder applications are required to push out those IE only generators.

Many professional webdevelopers don't use it (but they produce amasing results by writing their code themselves). Also Dreamweaver's functionality is limited compared to what is possible by hand-writing the code in emacs/vi/vim/gedit.

As for HTML guides, go to the library or do a Google search: there are thousands of guides out there, and many are good ones.

Scott

[Legendary_Bibo]

I'm going to ruin the trend of this thread.

If you're a CS student and a uni already, why don't you use what language they're going to start you with? I promise you it will not be python. The main reason I hear for python being the goto language to start with is because it is simple to understand and takes away the lower part of the code. If you want that, use a lisp dialect. But no, you're going to be doing this for a major, for a living, so try to stay away from scripting languages (I swear I saw php mentioned ITT and gaged. Pick something that will make you reinvent the wheel. Something that makes you laugh when you realize that you could have make silly code that is redundant.

For reference, we use ADA95 (think missiles and elevator using it) where I go to school. I don't recommend it as online documentation is poor. I'd say C, C++, or C#. The last even despite the bad taste in mouth with the linux community.

He's taking C++ though, might as well learn the basics of programming and its logic with an easier language. In my C++ class I was the only one who had prior programming knowledge (visual basic) so I didn't struggle as hard as the other kids, it helps to have an easier way to understand the basics then learn a more complicated language. Remember, you've gotta walk before you can run. ;)
Also don't tell anyone, but I did something shameful. I let someone plagiarize every program I wrote, or else she wouldn't have passed the class at all. :(

[seanelly]

I'm in engineering, not comp. sci., but we did have to take a programming course in second year. For some god awful reason the required course was java (maybe it's not so bad, but I didn't like it) and to make matters worse we had a horribly incompetent teacher. He would lecture on and on about abstract theory, mostly using a brick or a dead cat as a metaphor and then send us into the lab and ask us to make a program. I'd call over the lab TA and describe to him in English the algorithm I want to use to complete said task and he's say, "Yes, perfect, do that." "But how," I'd ask.
"In bluejay"
"But I don't know any syntax..."
"what languages do you know?"
"None..."
"...and the teacher hasn't taught you any syntax?"
"...no..."
"...well I quit."


It was so frustrating, like trying to write an essay about a subject you're an expert on, but in a foreign language. Okay, so I hope you enjoyed my story. :P I think I'll have to check out python while I have some spare time.

[Legendary_Bibo]

I'm in engineering, not comp. sci., but we did have to take a programming course in second year. For some god awful reason the required course was java (maybe it's not so bad, but I didn't like it) and to make matters worse we had a horribly incompetent teacher. He would lecture on and on about abstract theory, mostly using a brick or a dead cat as a metaphor and then send us into the lab and ask us to make a program. I'd call over the lab TA and describe to him in English the algorithm I want to use to complete said task and he's say, "Yes, perfect, do that." "But how," I'd ask.
"In bluejay"
"But I don't know any syntax..."
"what languages do you know?"
"None..."
"...and the teacher hasn't taught you any syntax?"
"...no..."
"...well I quit."


It was so frustrating, like trying to write an essay about a subject you're an expert on, but in a foreign language. Okay, so I hope you enjoyed my story. :P I think I'll have to check out python while I have some spare time.
Yeah I had to learn C++ for engineering as well. Our teacher spent the first 45 minutes (out of an hour and fifteen munutes) every day going over his "tweets" I **** you not. He had his own website where he had notes on the syntax, but he rarely actually lectured. I feel your pain.

[Rey117]

I'm going to ruin the trend of this thread.

If you're a CS student and a uni already, why don't you use what language they're going to start you with? I promise you it will not be python. The main reason I hear for python being the goto language to start with is because it is simple to understand and takes away the lower part of the code. If you want that, use a lisp dialect. But no, you're going to be doing
this for a major, for a living, so try to stay away from scripting languages (I swear I saw
php mentioned ITT and gaged. Pick something that will make you reinvent the wheel.
Something that makes you laugh when you
realize that you could have make silly code that
is redundant.For reference, we use ADA95 (think missiles and elevator using it) where I go to school. I don't recommend it as online
documentation is poor. I'd say C, C++, or C#. The last even despite the bad taste in mouth with the linux community.

I understand your point and it's valid...however, this is for me and I want to get a jumpstart
doing something useful other than breaking into the schools router or stealing peoples passwords using Cain and Abel..(I did it to my friends). Btw, Thanks everybody for your advice.

[Helkaluin]

I want to get a jumpstart
doing something useful other than breaking into the schools router or stealing peoples passwords using Cain and Abel..(I did it to my friends).
Whoa. How did we jumpstart from a comparison of Python and C into an analogy of doing something useful and cracking?

[NightwishFan]

Python is used in a lot of Ubuntu software, also some cool applications are written with it, such as exaile and deluge. Though if it came between C and C++ I think I would learn C.

[matthew.ball]

Yeah, I offered to do something with C.

Edit: Haven't ever really used python before though.