Anyone know a good introduction to coding? (html and the like)

[Solytus]

At the current, I'm utterly uneducated in terms of coding, but I would really like to learn more about it, as well as how to code in general. can anyone recommend methods of easing myself into coding?

 

[Good morning blues]

Well, that completely depends. You can look up a web site or a book on HTML, but markup code like HTML really has next to nothing in common with actual programming languages like C++.

What do you want to know how to do?

 

[Vlane]

I still think that everybody should start with C (if you want to be a software engineer). It's really simple but very useful.

 

[JWAN]

it takes a few weeks (for me it was 3-4 months before I could do anything useful) to get the hang of any language, SO DON'T GIVE UP.

I think C++ is useful, Java is good and the same named but totally different Java Script is what I use for facebook apps

 

[Solytus]

Well, that completely depends. You can look up a web site or a book on HTML, but markup code like HTML really has next to nothing in common with actual programming languages like C++.

What do you want to know how to do?

Ah, sorry, My knowledge of coding is really quite vague, so I didn't really know what I should know. Since I do want to be a software programmer, would C++ be a good fit?

it takes a few weeks (for me it was 3-4 months before I could do anything useful) to get the hang of any language, SO DON'T GIVE UP.

I think C++ is useful, Java is good and the same named but totally different Java Script is what I use for facebook apps

Thankee, and what applications do Java and Javascript have other than Facebook apps?

The languages you should be aiming to learn: C, C++, Python, Java and possibly Perl and Lisp, depending on what you're trying to program. Unfortunately, I haven't really followed my own advice, and I only know rudimentary C, C++ and BASIC.

What exactly is Perl?

 

[Solytus]

it takes a few weeks (for me it was 3-4 months before I could do anything useful) to get the hang of any language, SO DON'T GIVE UP.

I think C++ is useful, Java is good and the same named but totally different Java Script is what I use for facebook apps

Thankee, and what applications do Java and Javascript have other than Facebook apps?

Well, Java is a language superficially similar to C, which has both the advantage and disadvantage, depending on your purpose, of using a virtual machine to run it. It means that compiled code will transfer easily onto any platform, but it will also run slower as well.

The languages you should be aiming to learn: C, C++, Python, Java and possibly Perl and Lisp, depending on what you're trying to program. Unfortunately, I haven't really followed my own advice, and I only know rudimentary C, C++ and BASIC.

What exactly is Perl?

Perl is a scripting language, very powerful and largely used in internet and networking applications. If you're a games programmer, you'd only need to know it for multiplayer games, but you'd probably have use of it in the profession of computing as a whole, especially if you play around with Linux or other UNIX-based operating systems a lot. Actually, if you're interested in coding, find a Linux distribution to play on. It's a lot less restrictive than Windows.

Actually, Linux was one of my inspirations to learn code, as I'm always reading of people who turned their linux OSs into personalized, pseudo-supercomputers, so I wanted to see how I could fiddle with Linux myself. Even though you've already been very helpful, do you know any way to ease myself into Perl, C++, or Java(Script)?

 

[stiver]

I always suggest learning HTMl before anything else. If you can take the time to teach yourself HTML, and can sit still long enough to make a bunch of pages, you have the patience to actually learn programming. Plus HTML takes absolutely no investment, where programming can take days before you realize you don't want to bother, or you missed a topic and have to review something else.
Take a few moments to review some HTML: http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp. This is also useful for a transition to real scripting languages like PHP.

Then if you think you really, really want to go about programming, get a good tutorial. Right now I always advise people starting out to avoid the big name languages like C/C++ and Java. At my old university, first year students were always taught with C, and always struggled. When they switched over to teaching Python, it was exceptionally faster to teach, and we always managed to get more topics in by end of term.

My suggestion is use Python. Starting out it never, ever matters if the language is more advanced or simpler, Because all you need to learn are basic Input/output, variables, control statements, looping, functions, Data structures, Objects etc. If you can learn the basic concepts faster on an easier program, the transition to more syntactically stressful programs is smoother.

MY suggestions is to use Eclipse:
Install Eclipse (Classic Eclipse): http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
Install Python: http://www.python.org/download/
Then use eclipse to install pydev: http://www.fabioz.com/pydev/manual_101_root.html

Once you know how to make the basic programs, you can continue in Python getting better at programming, or you can switch to C++ or Java (also my suggestion, but I'm bias towards java). And just so there isn't a misunderstanding, programming takes a long time to get used to. When I say basic concepts, I mean it'll probably take several months to get these down, and understood properly. Also it is important that you get a good tutorial, as sloppy programming will be bad in the long run. There is always a dozen ways to accomplish a task, but only a couple that are efficient.

 

[JWAN]

Well, that completely depends. You can look up a web site or a book on HTML, but markup code like HTML really has next to nothing in common with actual programming languages like C++.

What do you want to know how to do?

Ah, sorry, My knowledge of coding is really quite vague, so I didn't really know what I should know. Since I do want to be a software programmer, would C++ be a good fit?

it takes a few weeks (for me it was 3-4 months before I could do anything useful) to get the hang of any language, SO DON'T GIVE UP.

I think C++ is useful, Java is good and the same named but totally different Java Script is what I use for facebook apps

Thankee, and what applications do Java and Javascript have other than Facebook apps?

The languages you should be aiming to learn: C, C++, Python, Java and possibly Perl and Lisp, depending on what you're trying to program. Unfortunately, I haven't really followed my own advice, and I only know rudimentary C, C++ and BASIC.

What exactly is Perl?

its good for website design as well, I use it to put in buttons and other action key type deals, color web pages, Im still working with it, keep in contact and I can get you more info on it.

 

[Solytus]

I always suggest learning HTMl before anything else. If you can take the time to teach yourself HTML, and can sit still long enough to make a bunch of pages, you have the patience to actually learn programming. Plus HTML takes absolutely no investment, where programming can take days before you realize you don't want to bother, or you missed a topic and have to review something else.
Take a few moments to review some HTML: http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp. This is also useful for a transition to real scripting languages like PHP.

Then if you think you really, really want to go about programming, get a good tutorial. Right now I always advise people starting out to avoid the big name languages like C/C++ and Java. At my old university, first year students were always taught with C, and always struggled. When they switched over to teaching Python, it was exceptionally faster to teach, and we always managed to get more topics in by end of term.

My suggestion is use Python. Starting out it never, ever matters if the language is more advanced or simpler, Because all you need to learn are basic Input/output, variables, control statements, looping, functions, Data structures, Objects etc. If you can learn the basic concepts faster on an easier program, the transition to more syntactically stressful programs is smoother.

MY suggestions is to use Eclipse:
Install Eclipse (Classic Eclipse): http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/
Install Python: http://www.python.org/download/
Then use eclipse to install pydev: http://www.fabioz.com/pydev/manual_101_root.html

Once you know how to make the basic programs, you can continue in Python getting better at programming, or you can switch to C++ or Java (also my suggestion, but I'm bias towards java). And just so there isn't a misunderstanding, programming takes a long time to get used to. When I say basic concepts, I mean it'll probably take several months to get these down, and understood properly. Also it is important that you get a good tutorial, as sloppy programming will be bad in the long run. There is always a dozen ways to accomplish a task, but only a couple that are efficient.

Thank you for the advice!

Well, that completely depends. You can look up a web site or a book on HTML, but markup code like HTML really has next to nothing in common with actual programming languages like C++.

What do you want to know how to do?

Ah, sorry, My knowledge of coding is really quite vague, so I didn't really know what I should know. Since I do want to be a software programmer, would C++ be a good fit?

it takes a few weeks (for me it was 3-4 months before I could do anything useful) to get the hang of any language, SO DON'T GIVE UP.

I think C++ is useful, Java is good and the same named but totally different Java Script is what I use for facebook apps

Thankee, and what applications do Java and Javascript have other than Facebook apps?

The languages you should be aiming to learn: C, C++, Python, Java and possibly Perl and Lisp, depending on what you're trying to program. Unfortunately, I haven't really followed my own advice, and I only know rudimentary C, C++ and BASIC.

What exactly is Perl?

its good for website design as well, I use it to put in buttons and other action key type deals, color web pages, Im still working with it, keep in contact and I can get you more info on it.

thank you!

 

[Alex_P]

... do you know any way to ease myself into Perl, C++, or Java(Script)?

I'd say the best way to ease into Perl, C++/Java, or JavaScript is to start with Python, to be honest. It combines the features of several different paradigms but is relatively free of the kind of syntactic weirdness that trips up new programmers. Then if you switch to Perl or Java or Lisp or Ruby or C++ or whatever you'll often find yourself thinking "Oh, hey, I remember that concept from Python!" (whereas if you start with C many languages will seem wholly alien to you).

At my old university, first year students were always taught with C, and always struggled. When they switched over to teaching Python, it was exceptionally faster to teach, and we always managed to get more topics in by end of term.

I've observed this as well.

-- Alex