Start Learning C

[alvalany]

hi frnds,
I am new to programming. As i have to start learning languages, as my first step i decided to learn C as it is said to be the basic and most important. Can someone suggest me some way to increase my interest in C by giving examples of some marvellous things that can be done in C and CPP.
thnks in adv.

[Aia]

itzAB> Can someone suggest me some way to increase my interest in C by giving examples of some marvellous things that can be done in C and CPP.
Sorry no marvelous things here about C or C++. Just excruciating pain and frustration.
You better off with wonderful programming languages like C# or Java. ;) Just kidding. I mean...the part of wonderful + C# and Java.

Take a look at the first thread of this forum. There are a lot of posts dedicated to you.

[Salem]

Start with something simple, like python.

You'll actually get some useful things done in a fairly short time frame.

It'll take 6 months of hard graft before you're in any shape to write a useful program in C. You HAVE to think of everything (and there's a lot to think about). Whole books have been written on the traps which exist in C for the unwary programmer.

C is the kind of language where if you ask "I want to hang myself", it will happily give you the rope to do it. And just for fun, it will occasionally replace the rope with bungee cord just to see what happens next.

[Hiroshe]

I reccomend starting with QBASIC (almost everyone is familar with basic, so it can be used to communicate idea's to other programmers) or python (python is popular, even nasa uses it apparently).

C is... its hard to explain. Compair it to learning how to drive. You'll want to know how to drive before you want to know how the car works. Trying to learn C as your first language would be like trying to learn to drive while trying to figure out how how the car starts when you turn your key. I know thats not clear, but it gives you an idea of what I mean.

What can C do you ask? Just about anything you possably can do on a computer. Games, operating systems, word processors, web browsers, graphics editing software, and, well, you can write a C compiler in C and make it compile it self :P

[Tom Gunn]

Can someone suggest me some way to increase my interest in C by giving examples of some marvellous things that can be done in C and CPP.

If you need random anonymous people online to help you get interested, you are not interested enough. Maybe another language where you can get started faster will spark more interest? Python was already mentioned, and any of the .NET languages will be friendlier than C.I reccomend starting with QBASIC (almost everyone is familar with basic, so it can be used to communicate idea's to other programmers)
QBASIC? I am getting flashbacks of the early 90s. It's Hammer Time ! QBASIC went out of style along with slap bracelets, Furby, and fanny packs. I think you will have a hard time finding barely anyone, much less 'almost everyone' who can read and understand classic BASIC. If there is no V to the B you will only get blank stares. ;)

[Hiroshe]

QBASIC? I am getting flashbacks of the early 90s. It's Hammer Time ! QBASIC went out of style along with slap bracelets, Furby, and fanny packs. I think you will have a hard time finding barely anyone, much less 'almost everyone' who can read and understand classic BASIC. If there is no V to the B you will only get blank stares. ;)

I thought we were geeks. Nothing goes out of style with geeks. NOTHING! :P

[mathematician]

Most of Windows was written in C. You might or might not think that is marvellous.

[tux4life]

Most of Windows was written in C. You might or might not think that is marvellous.

Please don't bring him on the idea to create his own OS :P

[alvalany]

Please don't bring him on the idea to create his own OS :P

yeah dats a thing I heard dat windows has itz some parts written in C.But I cant even imagine how this language, which we use to print "hello world" can be used for such great jobs...

[Tom Gunn]

Most of us do not write hello world programs all day. ;) The more you learn about C, the more you can imagine C's potential.

[mathematician]

yeah dats a thing I heard dat windows has itz some parts written in C.But I cant even imagine how this language, which we use to print "hello world" can be used for such great jobs...

C was originally developed for the express purpose of writing an operating system; Unix to be exact. Admittedly Unix can only be described as the work of an evil misanthropic genius.

[sftwr21]

If this what you want to do? Than your interest have already started. There are several books that can teach you some c programming that could help keep your mind on track. For one, I enjoy C for dummies, to me thats a great fun book to read and learn some c programming. But as you mature in C, than you have to buy other books that goes into more advance programming. enjoy.