Page 1 of 1 [ 5 posts ] 

L_Holmes
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Jul 2014
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,468
Location: Twin Falls, ID

01 Aug 2014, 12:40 am

I have always been very interested in learning programming. However, I never really could figure out where to start, and on top of that, I was only allowed very limited access on our computer at home. That, and I had to share it with 7 others. Point being, I never really learned a whole lot about it.

I have started doing a bit of my own research just recently, but the problem is I still feel like I need a basic foundation for it, if that makes sense. Like I see all these details about different languages all over, random terms that I need to look up the definition for, and other random little pieces of information. And I understand the little bits to an extent, but I just can't organize them in my mind and figure out how they all come together. I need to see what the fundamentals are before I can really start applying stuff and truly be able to comprehend it properly.

I've only been really looking into this stuff for a couple hours, and it kind of is making sense, but I still feel like I'm not getting it. I don't know how else to describe it. I guess it could be comparable to teaching a child about addition, and telling them 2 + 2 = 4, and they get that fact and can remember it. But then they are confused if you ask what 2 + 1 is, because they don't really understand what the numbers and symbols actually represent in real life. They just know that if you ask what 2 + 2 is, it's 4. That's the way I feel reading a lot of these online tutorials and such, they explain things without really explaining them. I am like this with a lot of things, I can't really learn things unless I figure out in my mind what the basic structure and rules are for the specific thing I'm trying to learn. Even if it is just something simple like throwing a ball, I tend to want to get down to what is going to be the most basic and important aspects of it before starting, even if it means getting down to basic physics. That way I have a kind of system already in place to build on.

So I am wondering, what is the best place or method (online preferably, or with books, just no formal classes) to start teaching myself programming? I am starting out with learning C. I just need to know where I can learn these fundamental things that will help me understand it a bit better.


_________________
"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important."

- Sherlock Holmes


Last edited by L_Holmes on 01 Aug 2014, 12:50 am, edited 2 times in total.

HamtaroCappy
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 23 Jan 2014
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Posts: 151
Location: Arkansas

01 Aug 2014, 12:45 am

I like codecademy. It's free, and I'm learning Javascript.

Codecademy

^



ticky
Butterfly
Butterfly

User avatar

Joined: 21 Mar 2013
Gender: Female
Posts: 12

01 Aug 2014, 1:32 am

Maybe Python is better suited as a beginner language. The book is free, but you can also buy it in print format if you work better with paper books.

http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/



Kurgan
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Apr 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 4,132
Location: Scandinavia

01 Aug 2014, 11:02 am

Python is very well-suited for beginners and easy to learn, but it won't prepare you for more advanced programming languages.


_________________
“He who controls the spice controls the universe.”


kirayng
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 12 Nov 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,040
Location: Maine, USA

03 Aug 2014, 7:04 pm

C++ or Java (pref both at some point)