|
PureBytes Links
Trading Reference Links
|
In a message dated 5/20/99 9:38:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time, jimo@xxxxxxxxxx
writes:
> > Where would one start with teaching yourself programming? I'd like to
> > learn. Nothing too fancy now, but the basics. Where/what to start with?
> > VB, C++? I'm starting at basically ground zero.
>
> As Rob Lake pointed out, you really should start with a *programming*
> book, rather than just jumping in with a language and banging away.
> When I was in school, back when computers ate punched cards and
> freshmen had to do most of their work at night, behind everyone else,
> they wouldn't let anyone work with "real" languages like Fortran
> until you'd had a year of a teaching language like Algol.
>
> That said, I still think the old K&R "The C Programming Language" is
> an excellent teaching resource, leading you gently from the beginning
> steps, using good examples, right through what can be done with
> programming. I'd strongly suggest starting with a simple language
> like C rather than jumping right into C++, as it avoids an entire
> level of complexity regarding inheritance, etc.
>
> Keep in mind that Visual Basic is a Microsoft proprietary language.
> Depending on your future plans or opportunities, you may find that
> proprietary situation to be limiting.
>
> A couple of general references:
>
> All the books published by O'Reilly & Associates are excellent.
> Check their catalog and if you see something related to your
> interest, you can be confident that it will be among the best written
> material you can find on that interest.
>
> --> O'Reilly & Associates: <http://www.ora.com>
>
> For concise reference guides to various languages and environments
> the offerings of Specialized Systems Consultants (SSC) are without peer.
> Once you've made the first pass through your subject and are starting
> to actually bang out code, trying to get something done, the SSC
> reference cards are invaluable. They're inexpensive, too.
BTW, if it turns out you really don't like C, don't give up on programming
altogether. Try a different language. I've been a programmer for 25 years,
and I despise C. So much so that I won't even use languages with a "C" in the
name, like Visual Basic. :-)
|