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Message: [QUOTE="J. Clarke, post: 5162331"] [i][i] Might I suggest not going with just one book? If one has never written code before, any programming language can be overwhelming and the first run through can lead to more confusion than knowledge (I've seen experienced engineers come back from classes in BASIC convinced that programming was forever beyond them). Perhaps one should start out with the "For Dummies" book. That gives an overview of the landscape and an idea of what is happening and maybe lets one run some fairly simple examples. Then do the Head First, which is at a bit higher level than For Dummies and since one has seen the material before it's going to be a lot less overwhelming. Then perhaps work through K&R or Kochan ("Programming in C") or Kelley and Pohl ("A Book on C"). Also there is a Schaum's Outline. Doesn't matter what the subject is, I learned long ago that if there's a Schaum's you get it and work through it on general principle. They're cheap and they're a good supplement to any text. In addition, try exercises from the sources listed at <[URL]http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/756/where-can-i-find-[/URL] programming-puzzles-and-challenges>. Make up a project of your own and start working on it. Also, as a learning methodology--any time you see code in a book, key it into something and make it run. If it's not a complete program, making it complete teaches you something. If it is complete and you make a typo, fixing the bug teaches you something. And every once in a while what is in the book is bugged in itself--again fixing that bug teaches you somthing. And the process of running the code through your eyes and brain and into your fingers captures pieces that would otherwise be missed. And once it's keyed and working, there's always the temptation to play with it.[/i][/i] [/QUOTE]

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