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Re: Newbie needing advice

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On 05/08/2012 07:49 AM, Jeff Higgins wrote:
> On 05/03/2012 01:02 PM, Jeff Higgins wrote:
>> On 05/03/2012 11:55 AM, zack ballard wrote:
>>> Greetings,
>>>
>>> So, I am a complete newb when it comes to programming and am wanting
>>> to learn. Been clicking on stuff for years and finally want to learn
>>> what makes what do what and how it works. I have been checking out
>>> some tutorials and have noticed that some of them are for people with
>>> prior programming expierence. My main question is this: should I
>>> start with java or start with a different language to learn as my
>>> first steps. Again, no expierence with any programming before (way
>>> back in high school, but don't remember a single thing) but am willing
>>> to put in the time and effort to learn.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.
>>
>> There are a lot of levels of "what makes what do what and how it works".
>> Java is a fine language for many programming tasks, not so fine for
>> others. If you could pick a subject area of interest that would probably
>> narrow the choices of a language. Device drivers, dynamic HTML, etc.
>>
>> Michael L. Scott
>> Programming Language Pragmatics
>> 2000
>> ISBN 1-55860-442-1
>> For a great "what makes what do what and how it works" (on one level).
>>
>>
> I just found this, and it looks like it will be an interesting read.
> <http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html>

Bookmarked. Thank you.

Theory works, interestingly enough.

I wanted to learn Prolog once, so I read a textbook on predicate logic 
featuring Horne clauses. This helped.

Not that I remember that stuff now, but once your brain gets certain grooves 
worn it's never quite the same again.

The flip side is that learning such things improves your mental versatility. 
Someone in these threads asked a while back about how you break into a new 
area when you need experience to get a job in that area, and your private 
learning isn't going to impress.

Weirdly, I've mostly seen the opposite problem - being hired by folks 
deliberately for languages or platforms that one has never even seen, much 
less used, quite on purpose and with the expectation that one will master it 
in, oh, a day, maybe two.  I've had people gripe at three days and never 
anyone happy with a week.

The (meta-)skills of rapid learning are critical to survival. Especially if 
you need quick, short-term work to tide you over a hump. Trust me, it happens.

How can you metalearn better? By understanding the tree from which you pluck 
the fruit.

-- 
Lew
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Friz.jpg

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Thread

Newbie needing advice zack ballard <theznc@gmail.com> - 2012-05-03 08:55 -0700
  Re: Newbie needing advice Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-05-03 12:18 -0400
    Re: Newbie needing advice Cainito <theznc@gmail.com> - 2012-05-03 09:27 -0700
      Re: Newbie needing advice Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-05-03 13:17 -0400
  Re: Newbie needing advice markspace <-@.> - 2012-05-03 09:19 -0700
    Re: Newbie needing advice Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-05-03 12:22 -0400
    Re: Newbie needing advice Cainito <theznc@gmail.com> - 2012-05-03 09:43 -0700
      Re: Newbie needing advice Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-05-03 13:24 -0400
      Re: Newbie needing advice markspace <-@.> - 2012-05-03 11:02 -0700
        Re: Newbie needing advice Cainito <theznc@gmail.com> - 2012-05-03 13:28 -0700
        Re: Newbie needing advice Gene Wirchenko <genew@ocis.net> - 2012-05-03 13:30 -0700
    Re: Newbie needing advice Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom3minus1@eastlink.ca> - 2012-05-03 20:02 -0300
  Re: Newbie needing advice Jeff Higgins <jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2012-05-03 13:02 -0400
    Re: Newbie needing advice Jeff Higgins <jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2012-05-03 13:23 -0400
    Re: Newbie needing advice Jeff Higgins <jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2012-05-08 10:49 -0400
      Re: Newbie needing advice Lew <noone@lewscanon.com> - 2012-05-10 19:26 -0700
        Re: Newbie needing advice Jeff Higgins <jeff@invalid.invalid> - 2012-05-11 11:28 -0400
  Re: Newbie needing advice Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2012-05-03 14:01 -0700
  Re: Newbie needing advice Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-05-03 15:03 -0700

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