Getting started in programming

[BeyerCorpuz]

I am starting out in programmming. I want to be a programmer as a career. I want to learn both Visual basic and Web Development(i.e. javascript and Html). Which language would be the best intial language to learn to get the most education as a programmer. I also want to later learn C++ and Java.

Thanks,

Chris B undefined

[jon_stahl]

BeyerCorpuz,
I am quite familiar with programming and the various languages, and I too plan to become a professional programmer. C++ is the most powerful and effective language you will fine. Other languages mimic the syntax such as Java, even javascript is similar... But Visual Basic would be easier to learn at first. And QBasic before that.
As far as web development, of course HTML is the groundwork to begin. However, as you progress and your coding gets better; I would recommend learning PHP and mySQL database. Then you can build pages that are dynamic and build themselves, and update themselves! Less work for you, yet very effective and fast.

If you have any q's keep in touch- I know of a few sites that could help you out if you would like or if its allowed by the fourms ;)

www.techtutorials.com
www.php.net (for php reference, ect)
www.allsyntax.com
www.arson-network.com
www.tutorialized.com
www.free2code.net
www.planetsourcecode.com
www.programmersheaven.com

[sgtfubar]

I am starting out in programmming. I want to be a programmer as a career. I want to learn both Visual basic and Web Development(i.e. javascript and Html). Which language would be the best intial language to learn to get the most education as a programmer. I also want to later learn C++ and Java.

Thanks,

Chris B undefined

To start out, to get the basic fundamentals down, you need a programming logic book. I reccomend "Programming Logic & Design - Third Edition" by Joyce Farrell [ISBN: 0-619-21691-3]

QBasic is the simplest language to learn, and should be the starting language for any programmers. Get a QBasic book, and go through it. I reccomend "QBasic By Example - Special Edition" by Greg Perry.

You might want to consider getting a copy of Microsoft Visio for the flowcharts you'll be drawing. Flowcharts and Pseudocode make it really easy to understand how programs work.

Hope this was helpful.

[Buff]

Don't leave out PowerBasic for windows which rivals C (perhaps better)
in tight code (no bloatware). Also the best tech support on the planet.

[vegaseat]

To get your feet wet, go from basic to C/C++.

I like BCX, a free basic to C translator. The generated C/C++ code that is then compiled. You don't have to get involved with C/C++ right away. However, if you want to be a programmer you should. BCX is the way to learn it!

Write the much simpler basic code on the included editor and compile and run it from the editor or even fancier, from the included visual IDE. This program has excellent help files and a good selection of examples. You can look at the C code it produces. BCX is written in BCX, just to show you the power!

The whole free package can be downloaded, including the PellesC compiler, editor, and more from:

http://www.rjpcomputing.com/programming/bcx/

You don't need the additional Context editor or the win api help files to start out. There is quite a nice group of users at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcx/

[Narue]

>Which language would be the best intial language to learn to get the most education as a programmer.
Python is a good start, so is Java.

>BCX is the way to learn it!
Funny, in all my years of programming with C++, this is the first time I've heard about BCX being the best way to learn the language. :rolleyes:

>BCX is written in BCX, just to show you the power!
Are they paying you to advertise for them or something? You have three posts so far and all of them plug BCX. I find it rather irritating that the only answer you have for every question is to use some basic interpreter that you like.

[vegaseat]

>Which language would be the best intial language to learn to get the most education as a programmer.
Python is a good start, so is Java.

>BCX is the way to learn it!
Funny, in all my years of programming with C++, this is the first time I've heard about BCX being the best way to learn the language. :rolleyes:

>BCX is written in BCX, just to show you the power!
Are they paying you to advertise for them or something? You have three posts so far and all of them plug BCX. I find it rather irritating that the only answer you have for every question is to use some basic interpreter that you like.

Well some folks are helpful, others like to complain. BCX is not an interpreter. By the way I like your code snippets. Is there way I can post some BCX snippets there? Greetings from the Sin City ...

[Narue]

>Well some folks are helpful, others like to complain.
I'm helpful enough to justify a goodly amount of bitching. :)

>BCX is not an interpreter.
My appologies, it's your favorite "translator". But my arguments still stand. Any "translator" will most likely not spit out code worth learning from. But if you want to post the C or C++ code that BCX gives you I'd be happy to review it and insert foot in mouth if it's good.

[vegaseat]

>Well some folks are helpful, others like to complain.
I'm helpful enough to justify a goodly amount of bitching. :)

>BCX is not an interpreter.
My appologies, it's your favorite "translator". But my arguments still stand. Any "translator" will most likely not spit out code worth learning from. But if you want to post the C or C++ code that BCX gives you I'd be happy to review it and insert foot in mouth if it's good.

I posted a Calculator (Windows GUI) in the C snippets, not the worlds easiest code in C. Look at it with an open mind! If you like, I could send something simpler like a clone of the the excel spreadsheet. Best regards ...

[Narue]

>I posted a Calculator (Windows GUI) in the C snippets
Well, my first reaction wasn't "Eew", but there are some interesting constructs (and one that isn't valid C, so I would say it's either C++ or an Lcc extension). All in all, not too bad for a Win32 program. I'd like to see something that doesn't take advantage of the Win32 API so that I can see the quality of pure C that the translator comes up with.

[Venjense]

First and foremost, a formal education is required for most jobs. A two year degree with certifications ( like Chubb or what ever ) would be the minimum to start off with. I am mostly self taught but I have a BS in Computer Science. Anyway...

A Solid foundation in structures and algoithms is a great way to start programming. No matter what language you choose, stacks, queues, linked lists, qsort, hashing .... its all the same.

Always build on what you know. If you know Basic syntax very well, take an algorithm that you have worked on and try to implement it in VB. So long as you know the expected outcome of the algorithm, you will know when errors arise.

Once you have done the work in VB move up to Java, Python, PHP or any of the other "web" languages. This is where things get tough for the linear programmer. Objects are everywhere and get created from classes. This is where a good book comes in handy, but just for the syntax! Implement the algorithm in one of these languages. Once you have it working here, you can move up to c or c++.

Remember ALL programming languages have the basic constructs of variables, constants, begin...end blocks, objects, classes, pointers, functions, parameters. The difference is in the syntax.

Now dont get me wrong, there are huge differences between Basic, Java and c++. It's just the basics that you need to know down pat before you can get into all the advanced things that the higher languages offer.

Good luck!

[vegaseat]

I am starting out in programmming. I want to be a programmer as a career. I want to learn both Visual basic and Web Development(i.e. javascript and Html). Which language would be the best intial language to learn to get the most education as a programmer. I also want to later learn C++ and Java.

Thanks,

Chris B undefined

Learning to program is like learning to play the piano, it has to be a mixture of study and doing. Read the book to get the concepts, and when you get bored, go and take some existing code and experiment with it. That means you need a compiler that's quick and friendly. A compiler with lots of sample code to play with and has a good help system. Pick a language that has an internet group associated with it. They are a lot of help! Invariably, there seem to be some professorial types amongst the group. The language you learn initially will always help you later, many ideas stay the same.

Good Luck ...

[pAiNtBaLlEr06]

If you're in high school, like me, take a programming course. Right now, we're learning QBASIC then will be later diving into VB. Since I've had experience with Java, JavaScript, HTML, and a VERY small amount of C++, BASIC is a sinch, as well as VB in some respects.

What you can also do is download some QBASIC games/programs and see how they function and perform. Programming is the art of thinking of how you want the computer to perform certain tasks... knowing the language will help you implement that behavior/procedure so that the computer can recognize it into assembly -- or binary (1's and 0's). In short, become aware of the programs you see around you and see how they work, etc. etc... that will help boost your imagination a little bit I guess.