Tips learning a programming language?

[WoBinator]

Hi, im really interested with this 'programming stuff'. I got into it by reading a thread called 'Virus Programming'. (i read all of it )
Do i have to be in uni to learn a programming language like c++ or c or VBN( i read the names of those languages somewhere)? I have no previous experience...just wanted to know if learning langauges and how to write it was possible to do with no tuition or help from others...could i just read forums and find good links? or....should i just not bother till i learn more at school or something

lol....im not 10yr old :)
Thnx

[WoBinator]

lol....im not 10yr old :)

seriously im not

[Evenbit]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/104-7815545-0493562?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=computer+programming&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

http://www.google.com/search?q=free+online+programming+book&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:unofficial

http://www.freetechbooks.com/

http://www.freeprogrammingresources.com/books.html

[WoBinator]

TY very much :) ill start reading

[Ancient Dragon]

Dev-C++ is a good c and c++ compiler, and its free

>>I got into it by reading a thread called 'Virus Programming'
please, please do not tell us you want to do that. If you do we will have to ban you for life.:mad:

[WoBinator]

lol no, im not into virus making...i just read a thread here that had some interresting talk and people...it was called 'Virus Programming'
thnx for the program :D

[manutd]

If you like C or C++, look at the recommended books in that forum.
Another compiler: Code::Blocks.

[Narue]

>i just read a thread here that had some interresting talk and people...it was called 'Virus Programming'
I'm sure it was interesting if it's the thread I'm thinking about. ;)

>Do i have to be in uni to learn a programming language
Most certainly not! Anyone with a computer and basic skills using it can learn how to program.

>just wanted to know if learning langauges and how to write it was possible
>to do with no tuition or help from others.
No tuition, yes. No help, that's harder. I learned with very little help, and it's a long, difficult, frustrating path. Fortunately, help can be found for free on forums such as these.

>could i just read forums and find good links?
Yes, though it's highly recommended that you get a good book as well.

>should i just not bother till i learn more at school or something
No! If you're interested in programming, the sooner you start learning the better. Programming is very hard, but it's also very accessible. Most of the best programmers are almost completely self-taught.

[WoBinator]

I am currently reading http://www.pragsoft.com/books/CppEssentials.pdf and the Help file in Dev-C++. Do i need to learn 'assembly language' before c++? or VB.Net?

[WoBinator]

Coool, thnx Narue...and you were like one of the main posters on that 'Virus Programming' thread!
Do you have any suggestions for a book to buy? lol, i kinda wona get into it now :D

[Narue]

>and you were like one of the main posters on that 'Virus Programming' thread!
Then it was the thread I was thinking of. That was a fun one. I actually remembered it being fun despite my awful memory. ;)

>Do you have any suggestions for a book to buy?
You can get a free ebook on C++ from MindView. I honestly haven't read the first volume (but it's highly recommended) and I enjoyed reading the second volume very much. However, I always recommend learning C++ from Accelerated C++ because it's short and sweet, and teaches C++ as it should be taught.

[WoBinator]

This is really confusing.....is C++ what i should start learning? or do i need to learn something b4 i get onto C++ or C# .... Introductions are SO hard to read

[WoBinator]

heyi just wrote and comiled with Dev-C++

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
printf("This is output from my first program!\n");
return 0;
}

----
they said that its meant to come up with the message...but all it did was flash..i didnt see the message :(
is that meant to hpn?

[WaltP]

heyi just wrote and comiled with Dev-C++
----
they said that its meant to come up with the message...but all it did was flash..i didnt see the message :(
is that meant to hpn?

That's because DevC opens a window to run the program, runs it, and when the program ends, closes the window. Change your code to this:

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    printf("This is output from my first program!\n");
    getchar();
    return 0;
}

Please use Code Tags, not colors. And please read this about using computer-speak.

[WoBinator]

cool, thnx man

[Narue]

>is C++ what i should start learning?
Probably not. I assumed you wanted to learn C++ from your posts. Python might actually be a better introduction to programming (it's more forgiving), but eventually you will want to learn C++.

[WoBinator]

cool, ok...thnx :)

[manutd]

Do i need to learn 'assembly language' before c++? or VB.Net?

N-o-o-o. Assembly language is probably the last language you will learn. It also happens to be the least forgiving and least user-friendly. Happiness ;) It is best used in low level, OS base type programming (aka in situations other languages just won't do).

[WaltP]

Assembly language is probably the last language you will learn.

I'd recommend RPG II as the last languave you want to learn! :twisted: At least assembly is useful.

[WoBinator]

Cool, thnx...something that i read made me think that assembly was easier lol .... im trying to learn Python at the moment :D ... from there ill move on to C++ :lol: ...

Whats up with Perl? is it easier than Python? is VBScript hard to learn? After learning Python could i move on to VBscript? or Python> C> C++> VBScript?
thnx

[John A]

Cool, thnx...something that i read made me think that assembly was easier lol .... im trying to learn Python at the moment :D ... from there ill move on to C++ :lol: ...

Whats up with Perl? is it easier than Python? is VBScript hard to learn? After learning Python could i move on to VBscript? or Python> C> C++> VBScript?
thnx

VBscript is supposed to mimic Microsoft's Visual Basic language, so it won't be too hard to learn. However, practically no one uses it nowadays (everyone uses Javascript instead). So it's not really that useful.

Perl is a queer mix of different languages that I never really caught on to. Some people think it's the greatest language in the world, others think it's very bad. From what I know, Perl is supposed to give you many ways to solve a problem -- Python idea is to only provide one way to solve it. All in all, they're not that much different in terms of learnability. However, Perl is supposed to be impossible to maintain.

[WoBinator]

Alright...thnx man. I had a look at ur blog, pretty cool..Wii remote ftw