How to start programming?

[Divisi]

Hello,

I would like to start learning to program, I've been interested in it for a long time but I've just not been able to teach myself. It's hard to self teach. I also don't know what language to start with or which, if any, is the best/easiest for beginners. Also, I'm not sure if it changes anything, but I have a Windows partition on my computer if its easier to program there.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[cbennett926]

Hello,

I would like to start learning to program, I've been interested in it for a long time but I've just not been able to teach myself. It's hard to self teach. I also don't know what language to start with or which, if any, is the best/easiest for beginners. Also, I'm not sure if it changes anything, but I have a Windows partition on my computer if its easier to program there.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I started with Python and fell in love, cause you can use basic english composition to write things as in the phrase




print "Hello"

actually prints "Hello"

Where as in Java, which is what I am also familiar in




import java.util*

System.out.println("Hello");



Would print "Hello"

Now, don't be deterred, once you get one language it's just all syntax and the same logic can be applied on how to use object vs procedural language. When you first start out you will learn procedural, as in, one thing at a time, like a recipe; rather than a goal, or something with a lot of stuff. Some GREAT sources I like are the documentations for languages, as well as learning sites.

Something I used when I was first starting was projecteuler.net/ which teaches you how to solve certain problems using programming and it teaches you how to do new math things, which in my opinion is the back bone of all programming and computations.

[Shadius]

Different programming languages do different things so I'd say it depends on what you want to program. You can start by reading the stickies in the Programming Talk section. This topic has been asked a million times, I've even asked this topic, and was suggested what I've suggested to you. :)

Here are some sites to check out:
Coursera (coursera.org)
Code School (codeschool.com)
Code Academy (CodeAcademy.com)
Code Year (codeyear.com)

[cbennett926]

Different programming languages do different things so I'd say it depends on what you want to program. You can start by reading the stickies in the Programming Talk section. This topic has been asked a million times, I've even asked this topic, and was suggested what I've suggested to you. :)

Here are some sites to check out:

Coursera (http://coursera.org)



Code School (http://codeschool.com)



Code Academy (http://CodeAcademy.com)



I WISH I could have seen Code Academy before I started college :(

[Shadius]

I WISH I could have seen Code Academy before I started college :(

Me too!

[cbennett926]

Me too!


Where about's do you attend?

[Shadius]

Where about's do you attend?

I've recently graduated from CUNY Queensborough.

[cbennett926]

I've recently graduated from CUNY Queensborough.

Nice! I am currently a second year (not quite a sophomore cause I am behind) at the University of Oklahoma

[Shadius]

Nice! I am currently a second year (not quite a sophomore cause I am behind) at the University of Oklahoma

I noticed you put up a link to Project Euler. I'd like to give that a try. How does it work exactly? You're given a problem to solve on your own?

[cbennett926]

I noticed you put up a link to Project Euler. I'd like to give that a try. How does it work exactly? You're given a problem to solve on your own?

It's wonderful, you get badges for completing a problem, and yes, it might be like, such and such is the Fibonacci sequence, what number is this minus this etc etc, and you can solve it however you want, and then post how you solved it. Most people (and I mean like, everyone on there) uses programming languages and after you solve it you can see how other people solved it. It's fantastic and expands you knowledge on so many levels.

[MG&TL]

@shadius:

If you go to: http://projecteuler.net/problems you can see a list of problems. Quite a lot of fun, give it a go.

[Shadius]

@shadius:

If you go to: http://projecteuler.net/problems you can see a list of problems. Quite a lot of fun, give it a go.

Hey MG&TL! ):P

I've signed up, but having a look at these problems leave me not knowing how to start. I thought it would have some form of a guide, tutorial, or walk-through on solving them. Seems that it just leaves you to figure out how to solve it on your own. My programming skills are zero to none currently so this site might not be right for me to start off with. :(

[cbennett926]

Hey MG&TL! ):P

I've signed up, but having a look at these problems leave me not knowing how to start. I thought it would have some form of a guide, tutorial, or walk-through on solving them. Seems that it just leaves you to figure out how to solve it on your own. My programming skills are zero to none currently so this site might not be right for me to start off with. :(


If you need some help lemme know!!

I just need to know what language you are trying to work with, I'll walk you through it, but I won't just give the answer.

[MG&TL]

Hey MG&TL! ):P

I've signed up, but having a look at these problems leave me not knowing how to start. I thought it would have some form of a guide, tutorial, or walk-through on solving them. Seems that it just leaves you to figure out how to solve it on your own. My programming skills are zero to none currently so this site might not be right for me to start off with. :(

):P

Not really. It assumes you're comfortable with your programming language's mathematics module.

Pick a language, then do a few tutorials on it to get you started, then things will look a lot easier. :) The codeacademy link looks quite good.

[Shadius]

If you need some help lemme know!!

I just need to know what language you are trying to work with, I'll walk you through it, but I won't just give the answer.

Awesome! I wouldn't want you to just give me the answer either! :) I'm afraid we might've hijacked this thread though. Oops. My apologies to the original thread poster. Perhaps we should continue this through another medium, cbennett926?

[Shadius]

):P

Not really. It assumes you're comfortable with your programming language's mathematics module.

Pick a language, then do a few tutorials on it to get you started, then things will look a lot easier. :) The codeacademy link looks quite good.

Will definitely try my best! I've done the Computer Science 101 class from Code Academy and it teaches you how to use JavaScript. It's very good. I think you're better at programming than I am (most of you are), but you should try it out!

[Mikeb85]

I personally just picked up Ruby, looked up some on-line tutorials, and started hacking away. Still very, very beginner level (haven't had alot of time to practice), but having fun, Ruby is a nice language.

[Sarys]

I personally just picked up Ruby, looked up some on-line tutorials, and started hacking away. Still very, very beginner level (haven't had alot of time to practice), but having fun, Ruby is a nice language.

I want to learn to do games what's best language for that?

EDIT: oh yeah I know basics of C++ and java

[cbennett926]

I want to learn to do games what's best language for that?

EDIT: oh yeah I know basics of C++ and java

It depends on what type of game you are wanting: Text based, rpg, fps, etc. etc.

For example, I know Civilization was written all in Python which is awesome, and you could do even more with Jython, which is a combination of python and Java.

[Sarys]

It depends on what type of game you are wanting: Text based, rpg, fps, etc. etc.

For example, I know Civilization was written all in Python which is awesome, and you could do even more with Jython, which is a combination of python and Java.

But Python is easier?

[CptPicard]

For example, I know Civilization was written all in Python which is awesome, and you could do even more with Jython, which is a combination of python and Java.

While I certainly like Python, this is not true. Python was used as an internal scripting language which allows for quicker and less buggy tuning of the overall game mechanics, which are pretty important in a game like Civilization...


But Python is easier?

It leaves you to focus more on the problem you're solving instead of language details and issues. So in that sense yes Python is easier... it also is a very multi-paradigm language, so you get exposure to all kinds of ideas in just one language.

[cbennett926]

While I certainly like Python, this is not true. Python was used as an internal scripting language which allows for quicker and less buggy tuning of the overall game mechanics, which are pretty important in a game like Civilization...

If you could please provide some details on this, because I was referring to Civilization IV and a quick look on wikipedia provides this:




Major parts of the interface, map generation, and scripted events are written entirely in Python (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_%28programming_language%29) and can be customized.


The game uses boost.python (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boost_library) to allow the Python access to many parts of the game (including the style and content of all interface screens). Python can also be used to modify random map generation and to add complex scripted events.



I think that might be a little more than internal scripting ;)

[CptPicard]

I think that might be a little more than internal scripting ;)

Well, at least in my books that would indeed count as internal scripting, pretty much all of the more heavy-lifting parts of the engine need to be written in something else. But Python is very handy for UI-level and game-mechanics scripting.

[Sarys]

Well, at least in my books that would indeed count as internal scripting, pretty much all of the more heavy-lifting parts of the engine need to be written in something else. But Python is very handy for UI-level and game-mechanics scripting.

So I should start with Python?

[CptPicard]

So I should start with Python?

Well, yeah, I'd suggest so. That's what I always respond to the "what should I start with" question. First Python, then maybe C for lower-level stuff, than anything you fancy, Lisp at some point to see what a very abstract high level language looks and feels like.

[Sarys]

Well, yeah, I'd suggest so. That's what I always respond to the "what should I start with" question. First Python, then maybe C for lower-level stuff, than anything you fancy, Lisp at some point to see what a very abstract high level language looks and feels like.

Okay thanks. But now a noob question where to get Python? I tried looking it from software center and there was so much stuff.

[MG&TL]

Okay thanks. But now a noob question where to get Python? I tried looking it from software center and there was so much stuff.

You have the python interpreter installed by default (quite a lot of Ubuntu packages use python)

Just run:


python

to get an interactive interpreter, or:


python <file>

to run a file.

[Sarys]

You have the python interpreter installed by default (quite a lot of Ubuntu packages use python)

Just run:


pythonto get an interactive interpreter, or:


python <file>to run a file.

Ah okay thank you.

[krustenBrot]

Have you already seen this (http://www.swaroopch.org/notes/Python) book?
It is an excellent beginners guide to python.

Read it, learn it and you should be a huge step further towards your goal.

:)