Know absolutely nothing about programming but want to learn etcetera...
Used computers all my life but know nothing about the codes inside them. I keep coming up with ideas for computer programs which are based on a few simple tasks or calculations which I think a computer could do but I have no idea how to implement them. I think I should get to the level of making a simple card game or something. Then work my way up to making scripts, something that could open up opera browser, search through a site for certain links, open them up and search for pieces of text and put them into a spreadsheet. That would be useful for my stock market research.
For now though I am a complete pleb and don't even know what software I need or how to take the first step. Here are some links I found that I will look at.
http://kickassproxy.me/beginning-programming-with-c-for-dummies-wiley-2014-pdf-golu-t9390415.html
http://it-ebooks.info/book/1256/
C++ or java maybe
There lots of tutorials out there, but I think most of them are pretty bad since they don't really allow you to see results. In fact, many newbies who try to get into programming get frustrated because once they finish all the tutorials and get a solid (if very abstract and theoretical) knowledge of a languages don't know how to put these skills to use. They may know how to print "Hello world!" onto a console screen, but from there to creating actually useful programs is a long way.
From your post I assume what you're looking for is a way to really jump into the deep water without prior knowledge. I actually think this is the best way to get used to programming. My recommendation to you is to start programming in the C# language on the .NET framework. The .NET framework comes with a thingy called Windows Forms which allows you to set up and run a functional window with buttons and everything in mere minutes. Creating stuff in it isn't complicated. You can choose to drag and drop stuff like checkboxes and textboxes onto your design, resize them and set their properties and start programming functions for them simply by double-clicking them.
Now in more practical term, what you're going to need to download is Microsoft Visual Studio. You can either get the freeware Express version, or get the more serious and feature-ful versions through less legal means. Once you download and install it, just open a new Windows Forms project and start toying around, see what you can figure out by yourself before looking up help online.
Of course you're gonna need tutorials eventually. In fact, you might need them because minutes after opening a new project you get stuck and you don't know what you're doing. In that case just close everything, create a new Console project and just google "C# tutorials". There you can learn the actual basics of the language and programming. But I think it's important for you to get a little taste of what is possible to be done with your skills your learning. That way you don't ever get "stuck in theory", if you know what I'm saying.
Learning programming is like 20% learning the language and 80% learning to put the language to actual use. And those 80% are mostly composed of learning how to use different tools that other people made for you. Look up SFML if you're interested in game development, for example.
BTW: I personally think Java and C++ are bad beginners' languages. Java has good documentation and tutorials for it, but it has very limited practical uses. C++ is considered a strong language, but it's very rough and takes a considerable amount of time to learn, ESPECIALLY for a beginner. I'd seriously avoid C++ if I were you.
Python is an interesting choice, since it's both useful AND simple (many servers today, for example, are written mostly in Python), but I personally had pretty limited contact with it so I can't judge it either way.
Feel free to ask questions if you have any.
>>2
Oh thanks this is just what I need. Also I have heard from many sources that programming is more about constructing programs and less about memorizing code, this raises my confidence a little, assuming I am imagining what coding is like correctly.
What code would a space flight simulator need? You'd need the locations of the planets, which could be simplified as points with the equations for gravitational pull, more code could be added later to give them movement. You'd need some equations for the space rocket, current velocity, location, thrust, acceleration determined by both gravity and thrust, and how these things all affect each other. Then you'd need something for the graphics, I'd create something like a graph, like if I am at a location looking in a direction what would be in view. If I had to graph something from scratch I'd have to model some kind of grid maybe, I don't know, every pixel is assigned a row and a column which equal x and y as determined by the math or something.
On top of that you might need some aids for the user, navigation, computer assisted acceleration/deceleration so you don't hurtle into planets at the speed of light. Maybe add some things like upgrades or trading goods. Sound effects would be good too, the low hypnotic amniotic rumble of the engines increasing in pitch as you increase the thrust.
I have been daudling though. I have ADD predominantly inattentive, there is no time limit for this and this is a completely amateur effort, though that is no excuse. I suppose I could put in a herculean effort, more likely I will have to solve some psychological and philosophical problems before I can put in the amount of effort that a normal person would.
> .NET framework
> Windows Forms
> Microsoft Visual Studio
Downloading these things and playing around with them is a simple enough task so maybe I will do that tomorrow (not procrastinating, I'm sleepy).
Maybe a bit off topic. Do you know of any ways in which I could increase cortical (past the blood-brain barrier) norepinephrine (noradrenaline)? I have been looking up monoamine oxidase inhibitors like syrian rue and nutmeg however I can't find any syrian rue in my area and the drawbacks of nutmeg outweigh any benefits. Caffeine raises norepinephrine because it mimics adrenaline but I can't have caffeine because of the levels of stress it causes. Tyramine displaces norepinephrine in storage vesicles, I'm not sure if this is good or bad.
I would start out by really lowering your expectation and goals. A space flight simulator is waaaay out of you league. If it's a 3D one then it's going to take me at least a month to create.
Seriously, put that thought to bed now. You're not going to start out by creating space simulators, and if you even try you're going to get yourself extremely frustrated. You can expect to create some very basic stuff like pong when you start out. Even tetris and pac-man is going to take a lot of effort, and you won't graduate to that stuff until you know the basics of the language itself.
Then again, the choice is fully yours. If you want to jump into SFML off the bat let me know. I'll give you specific instructions of how to download/install SFML (that was something I struggled with when I was just starting out) and even give you some basic code to get you started.
You don't "download" .NET framework and Windows Forms. Widnows Forms is part of the .NET framework, and the .NET framework comes integrated in every copy of Visual Studio. It's kinda hard to explain it all since I'm trying to keep it very simple and avoid using lingo.
And about that brain issue... Nope, sorry. I don't even know what half of those words mean.
Learn C get "The C programming language" and a pc unix distro and related software and syscall/library routines manpages, it's the best.
>My recommendation to you is to start programming in the C# language on the .NET framework.
No don't, this is the worst.
>The .NET framework comes with a thingy called Windows Forms which allows you to set up and run a functional window with buttons and everything in mere minutes. Creating stuff in it isn't complicated. You can choose to drag and drop stuff like checkboxes and textboxes onto your design, resize them and set their properties and start programming functions for them simply by double-clicking them.
I already can get very functional windows just by clicking a button, doesn't mean you gain any programming insight.
>>5
I started programming only 2 years ago, but I was trying to get into it for years before that. I just told him what eventually helped me get serious about it. I went through entire tutorial series about the basics of C, the basic of C++ and the basics of Java and every time I finished a series and just stood there saying "okay, now what?"
Having an achievable goal and visual results to your work is very encouraging
I recommend using precision magnets to manipulate the individual bits in your RAM and write programs in raw machine code. It's really hard to get the hang of, but once you master it, people like >>5 can't be snobs to you.
That or you can ignore them and learn in whichever way helps you stay motivated to keep practicing, which usually isn't low level programming now that there are perfectly good alternatives that are much easier to work with.
C# is also what the Unity game engine uses, which might be worth looking into if you're interested in making games.
>>7
You're exaggerating. A lot of shit in C isn't so difficult for someone just beggining, and if they're learning out of interest, they don't have to master bit operations immediately.
>>6
It sure is encouraging, but I like the shell interface, so I don't think of programs that run on a terminal as lowly goals.
And there you can get results fast using C or even asm.
>>4-8
The argument between you 2 has put some perspective on things.
Yes, it has been 12 days. I usually just go to sleep when I get home because of schooling and a part-time job but I think I found a way to mitigate the effects of ADD-PI and stop dawdling. I will probably test these suggestions tomorrow and have something more interesting to talk about.
If I don't follow your suggestion it is likely because I can't find the right software to download or something not that I'm taking sides. Also I now have a tripcode.
> in b4 someone makes their own tripcode and claims to be me
Lastly what do you guys think of this game, it is about transistors.
http://www.kongregate.com/games/krispykrem/kohctpyktop-engineer-of-the-people
Maybe it could teach me to use "precision magnets to manipulate the individual bits in your RAM and write programs in raw machine code."
actually this will be my tripcode
gaf
>Maybe it could teach me to use "precision magnets to manipulate the individual bits in your RAM and write programs in raw machine code."
umm I don't think that was completely srs
I'd recommend "How to Design Programs", and if you'd like and have the time, you can supplement with "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" lectures.
>Also I have heard from many sources that programming is more about constructing programs and less about memorizing code, this raises my confidence a little, assuming I am imagining what coding is like correctly.
The focus of How to Design Programs is on program design and construction, and the language it uses is very simple and requires no significant syntax memorization. It's also free and there's an IDE developed for it and the language it's based off of (Racket Lisp).
SICP is a highly-recommended book, but it's also very abstract and can be difficult, but it can be nice to watch the lectures and take notes and see how the ideas are used in HtDP. This is what I've been doing myself, I just started myself a few weeks ago.
I kind of wish there was some kind of beginner's programming IRC room or something for people like us.
learn to program by programming, duh
>>13
sicp is overrated abstract bullshite
this is a point that no one may contest
>>14
What makes you think that recursion vs. iteration and their benefits and disadvantages, the differences between the environmental and object-oriented models of programming, functional programming, and data-directed programming, and knowing how compilers work by writing your own are "abstract bullshite"?
At the risk of being too obvious, it DOES deal a lot with the structure of programming, and that's why I recommended it as a supplement to a more pragmatic or less abstract book if you have the time. You can always just read it afterwards.
going to try codecademy, also found this theory about ADHD predominately inattentive which might yield something useful
http://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223%2801%2901173-8/abstract?cc=y
found this, it is very compelling evidence that I can increase glycogen (important source of energy) levels in the brain through exercise
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22063629
I believe I need to sprint and do some other intensive exercises that use every muscle group in order to "hit the wall", the point where energy reserves are depleted and the body starts to deplete energy from other reserves like the brain. In theory this will trigger the body's natural reaction to increase energy reserves in the brain as well as skeletal muscle and mitigate the effects of ADHD-PI somewhat.
what the fuck is this shit del
Update.
Recently downloaded this.
Currently reading this.
http://code.tutsplus.com/series/as3-101--active-7395
I still have ADHD-PI but a combination of psychology and a drink I make from instant coffee and cococa powder is helping me focus. As I may have mentioned earlier, I can concentrate on some things like a strategy game I have an obsession with, learning about every detail of the game and creating spreadsheets and things to help make decisions, but with other things I can barely read for a minute before my brain grinds to a halt. I am currently trying to transfer my obsessive behavior onto programming with some success but at the moment compared to an average person my performance is still very poor.
>>19
I'm already aware my mental health problems annoy people, that is why I am posting on 4-ch.net instead of going straight to community college and potentially wasting taxpayer dollars.
actually I am going to read this