Disabled Student Coder Looking For A Mentor/Tutor

[shane.barrow.35]

Hello Everyone.

I'm sortta new here I have been a member for a while but have not partaken in any discussions. Not out of rudeness but because I have no idea where to start. Everything I know about programming I have taught myself, it was very difficult figuring out what the heck a variable was in relation to programming when most Programming books are for people who can afford to go to College for this sort of thing.

But like I said in the title I am Disabled and have been for a very long time(21 years). I have tried going to College but my health failed me and now I can't go back. Programming could be my only chance for a real job and a source of income I can be proud of, to me recieveing a disability check is a humiliation not a real help at all.
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Problem is I don't know enough to get where I want to go, I need help on the real basics of programming. Anyone can pick up the latest version of the easiest to follow book on learning a programming language, and still be lost from the first to the last page if they don't know the relations between the english uses of words and concepts and the context they hold where programming is concerned. For instence what is a tuple where programming is concerned or even english for that matter I have no idea. I have some vauge idea of what pointers are but having no knowlage base to build upon I'm lost.

In short I need a tutor whith a lot of patients that is okay with the knowlege that I cannot afford to pay for their help. Someone that can point a blind(no I'm not blind)man in the right direction. So if any of you feel charitable please drop me an email at [e-mail] and thank you very much.

[Ketsuekiame]

Although I realised you asked for a tutor, not many people have that amount of time to give up in order to teach, myself included. I'm also pretty sure that this is not out of arrogance or greed, but when we do a job, we want to do it well and give it our best. Being so drawn for time will only hinder and frustrate both parties involved.

Now, I know you've said you struggle with the books, however, I would like to point you at this: The Yellow Book

Rob was one of my University lecturers (albeit in a different language) and a pretty darn good one! Rob writes some of the best "Beginner" material I have ever read and I'm 99% sure you will understand the basics (and possibly some advanced methodology) by the time you've finished reading.

I would suggest you be patient. The book is effectively a years worth of basic University teaching (from Foundation to First Year) and so reading it will take a while, but don't skip anything, even if it seems boring. Rob is rarely superfluous.

Finally: good luck, try some practice work, come back if you get stuck on anything :)

[ojemuyiwa]

I agree with Ketsuekiame.
And would like to further add you are in the right place as forums and blogs like this are always a good place to ask questions e.g. what are pointers or variables with regards to proggramming. Sadly Rome was not built in a day and you will need patience and a lot of reading in order to hone your skills and since programming is a very hands on proffession no text book will ever be enough.

What language(s) and or type of proggramming are you looking to learn? c#, vb.NET, windows, web, mobile etc?

[shane.barrow.35]

I realize there is no get smart quick way of learning to program, but I've never shyed away from hard work. Like I said I do have some College behind me and I did not quit on a whim, it was more like quit College or quit breathing. LOL.

I will look into this book you have suggested Ketsuekiame and thanks anyway. As far as what type of development I wish to pursue, I am disabled and would like to contribute to the realm of accessiblity technology, The .Net framework seems to have things of that nature well in hand so that is what I am aiming for. C#, VB .net or even F# would be suitable for it but I know more about C# than the others.