Hi, i want to learn programming...

[Eric]

I have a few questions:

1. Should I learn C first or VB?

2. Should I get a book or learn from websites?

3. What book or which website is best?

4. Or should I take a course?

Thanks for any responses.

Eric

 

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

I have a few questions:

1. Should I learn C first or VB?

Don't bother with VB, it teaches poor programming methods
and is locked to a single platform (microsoft).

C is probably also not a good first language. Instead I
would recommend Java better yet Python.

2. Should I get a book or learn from websites?

For Python, any smart 12 year old should be able to teach
themselves Python from any of a number of good Python books.

3. What book or which website is best?

There is a book by O'Rielly publishers called "Learning
Python". That would be hard to beat.

Erik

 

[Joona I Palaste]

I have a few questions:

1. Should I learn C first or VB?

What do you expect people on comp.lang.c to say? For a real opinion,
you should have asked on comp.programming or something.
Personally, I suggest not bothering with VB. It's a toy language,
useful for making pretty MS Windows GUIs but nothing else.
C is a good choice, but lately I have had good experience with Java. I
suggest you also try that.

2. Should I get a book or learn from websites?

Books. Definitely.

3. What book or which website is best?

Try the original K&R2, books by Deitel&Deitel, or "C Unleashed" by
a lot of people on this newsgroup (but not me). If you see anything
by Herbert Schildt, run far away. That guy makes mistakes so blatant
even *I* can't help but wonder why he is sos stupid.

4. Or should I take a course?

That's the most effective way to learn. Books, websites, even
comp.lang.c are no substitute for a human teacher.

 

[Martin Ambuhl]

I have a few questions:

1. Should I learn C first or VB?

Unless you want to be glued to Gatesware, the only excuse for VB is
someone waving a large check (BrE cheque) in your face.

2. Should I get a book or learn from websites?

Books (K&R2, Deitel&Deitel, Harbison&Steele, for example). For the most
part, avoid websites. The amount of crap on the web is huge. There are
exceptions. James Hu now is keeping the "Welcome to CLC" page at
<http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>. It has a number of useful
links. Among these is the crucial web version of the longer book of the

3. What book or which website is best?

See above.

4. Or should I take a course?

Many people learn quite well from the resources above without taking
courses. Most people, however, find courses a better path. Not only is
it useful to have a live responsive person to answer questions, but
courses provide a discipline often missing in teaching oneself from
courses. Those required problem sets or lab sessions have a purpose,
even if students don't believe it. In addition, the questions that
others raise can clarify points that you didn't even realize you didn't
quite have down pat.

[Disclaimer: I have a professional interest in people's taking classes
in programming languages, even though I never took one myself.]

 

[Malcolm]

I have a few questions:

1. Should I learn C first or VB?

All languages do the same basic operations, so it's not too important. Both
VB and C are commercially successful, but neither is designed primarily for
teaching purposes. (VB is designed to make building GUIs on Windows easy, C
is designed as a portable and efficient procedural langauge). Either would
be a perfectly acceptable choice.

2. Should I get a book or learn from websites?

Book. You really need a professionally printed and bound manual to browse
whilst learning.

3. What book or which website is best?

Depends on your age, level of mathematical experience, and motivation. There
are plenty of C primers out there which are fine.

4. Or should I take a course?

A course is likely to be far more expensive, but the tutor will motivate you
by demanding assignments. Also, when you go an employer, he is far for
likely to hire you if you say "I did course X and got this certificate" than
if you say "I know C, I taught myself from a book".

 

[Martin Dickopp]

That's the most effective way to learn. Books, websites, even
comp.lang.c are no substitute for a human teacher.

A /good/ human teacher, yes. A bad teacher can do more harm than good,
IMHO. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to find out in advance if a
teacher is good or bad.

Martin

 

[Peter Mount]

Hello

I'm currently learning ANSI C in my current programming subject at school.
The book we are using is "A First Book of ANSI C, Third Edition" by Garry J
Bronson. This seems like a good book.

I once had to buy a book on Java put out by Deital and Deital and it seemed
like one of the worst text books I've ever read. Even the teacher hated it.
I hope I don't get flamed for saying this

Unless your just learning purely for self interest I'd definitely recomend
doing a course. Having a teacher explain things to you will save you months
of experimentation and frustration.

Have fun

Peter Mount
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Ralmin]

I'm currently learning ANSI C in my current programming subject
at school. The book we are using is "A First Book of ANSI C,
Third Edition" by Garry J Bronson. This seems like a good book.

I think that was the assigned textbook in my compulsory "Procedural
Programming" core subject at university, three years ago. I didn't bother
reading the book... I just read the lecture notes, then I read comp.lang.c,
and I read the ANSI standard (which I bought over the internet). Of course,
I also got a lot of practise writing whatever programs seemed fun.

[snip]

Unless your just learning purely for self interest I'd definitely
recomend doing a course. Having a teacher explain things to you
will save you months of experimentation and frustration.

Experimentation is a great way to learn, coupled with explanations from
people who really know the language well (ie. the regulars of comp.lang.c).

Having a teacher explain things is good, except when you have a better
understanding than the teacher and are constantly asking pointed questions
or correcting their mistakes!

 

[Tiro Verus]

I have a few questions:

1. Should I learn C first or VB?

Can't decide this for you, pls read the other posts
on this. If local schools offer inexpensive introductory
programming courses, then it might be worth it to take
one of those. That would involve learning the language
taught in that class, which might be VB.

One drawback to VB in that context is the price.
Personally I started with Perl, which has some advantages
over C for beginners (no scanf() snarlups, etc.)

2. Should I get a book or learn from websites?

You must get a book or books for the language of your choice.
When you start learning C, you must also acquire a K&RC.

3. What book or which website is best?

There are bibliographies of C books around, often
on sites with links to the FAQ.
You will find yourself consulting several books, and
this Archive, and the FAQ, and numerous websites.
Steve Summit does have his Introductory C Programming
Class Notes online.

4. Or should I take a course?

Depends on your finances, your time, etc.