If you're already into web development in some way, you might want to consider learning JavaScript pretty well as your next stage. It's a programming language in its own right, the syntax is very much like the C family of languages and it will become immediately useful to you in your web development work. It's probably as good a language as any other to learn the fundamentals of programming, and it has some object-oriented capabilities.

You would probably find that you could move on to something like C++, Java or PHP with relative ease afterwards.

Google has a whole load of links to tutorials:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Comp...ipt/Tutorials/

or there are many good books out there, some very reasonably priced. And there's plenty of places to go for support on the internet.

Honestly, if you're only going to be taking one class, in this case programming, then you're better off with a good book. It's hard finding a good programming teacher (from my experience anyways, and I've taken many). If it was my choice, I'd pickup a good book. I'd learn at my own pace, I would structure my own course my way (actually make it fun and interesting), and would NOT be pressured with exams and homework assignments. Also, a lot cheaper too.

If you ARE considering majoring in a field, and want to do something with web development, I don't recommend computer science. Even though computer science has programming, programming is just one a part of it. (Sometimes I think it's a small part of it.) You'll spent most of the time doing calculus problems and coming up with algorithms. A lot of abstract and theory. If you want to learn hands on stuff like databases, multimedia, networks, and web development/designing (photoshop/dreamweaver/etc), you can forget it. You can either go to an IT school for that or major in information systems (BCIS/CIS). This field has programming, but it's more enclined towards the business world. BCIS also has classes in multimedia, business (marketing, finance, e-commerce), networks (hands on); all the interesting stuff.

I am a major in computer science and a minor in BCIS. Just thought I'd mention it to show some credibility.

Thanks for the advice people.... it should prove to be useful. Thanks again.

T.A.

OK... so all of this sounds very interesting to me.. and is something I want to learn.. BUT... I was just at the Tutorials section and I did NOT understand a single thing for the posts on C++.. so my next question would be... if I'm gonna be learning this stuff then I should be able to understand it right?

I do not care who you are, if you do not understand the basics around the programming language you are going to learn about it will be difficult to get your mind around the concept.

My question is this Tech. Addict. What was it that lost you or a particular point that did not make sense about c++

C++ and all newer languages are heavily into the OOP (Object Oriented Programming). And like a few others have said the syntax will get boring, especialy if you have know idea why you type or do it.

OOP and UML (universal Modelling Language) go hand in hand. Programming and Design in simple terms.

Simply OOP/UML:

C++ Uses classes, and methods in those classes. Well classes are actually blueprints of objects, and those methods (procedures) of a classe are the behaviours of that object the class represents.

In in Classes, just like objects, their are parent and child classes. Those child classes retain some of the methods(behaviours) of the parent class. This is the the basis of inheritence in programming.

In Java/VB/C++ you can build on that to affect objects from several sources. ADO / DAO Object Models, Objects/Classes of the API (Application Programming Interface - where you manipulate Windows for Example), .NET Framework (including ADO.NET) just to name a few.

Not sure this encourages you or scares the sh^t out of you, but believe me any programming book that matters these days will talk about OOP/UML(including 3 Tier Application Design).

Good luck.... If I learned it...anyone can...

Thanks.. well.. I guess there's only one way to find out.. if this will be interesting or not, and that is to jump right in...

Well, how else are you suppose to learn if you can't understand. If you don't understand, you don't call it learning. You might be able to memorize concepts, but that's it. Memorizing is pretty much useless because you can always look stuff up.

Now, were you being sarcastic? Meaning that you couldn't understand the tutorials because the way they were written? It might not suit you, although I have shown it to other people and they told me they were written well (I can't be the judge of that because I already know how to program). If you have a hard time grasping concepts, why not ask questions? I'm sure the authors would be glad to help you. If you want me to recommend you a book I'll be glad to. Let me know.

The tutorials themselves may not be the best method of learning a new language from the start. No doubt they will be useful along the way but to be honest you should invest in a good book. Without a good book you'll probably struggle.

Tech Addict, if you wish to get into a programming language, C++ being your first one, I wouldn't get discouraged if you suddenly jump into a whole bunch of C++ code and get confused or frustrated.

Which C++ tutorials, specifically, were you looking at? The ones written by me (e.g. the "part 1, part 2" ones), or the ones written by Bob (which are a bit more advanced, and more like a reference than a beginning tutorial)?

I tried my best to explain C++ to "non-programmers" in my tutorials ... mbut, then again, as Bob said, they're only tutorials. You wouldn't be able to get as much out of a few paragraphs as you would out of a good book or even a programming course.

As Paladine was saying, OOP is a large part of C++, and it can be very daunting. However, I don't think I got into OOP until about part six of the tutorial. Maybe you wish to take a look at the Overview of Programming tutorials, where I try to explain what algorithms and pseudocode are (the very basics of programming).

No matter which way you go, good luck with your programming endeavor!

If you have any specific questions, feel free to post ...

it will be good for you to start with some programing fundamentals book, to understand
some base concepts, like functions, variables, values, operators i.t.n
then you can go to php scripting language.
be carefull when you buying books. Good book will be your the best gide.