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Re: Newbie needing advice

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On 05/10/2012 10:26 PM, Lew wrote:
> 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.
>
Reading a history of computing languages may help the OP also.
I've found it easier to learn new things when I have had a good overview 
and can kinda see the big picture.

Recently I've been trying to learn the Lisp language. I have
spent some hours with online tutorial and books but somehow felt
like I wasn't "getting it". After finding and spending more hours 
reading an old Lisp 1.5 Manual by the originator of the language I
feel like I am finally able to "grok" the Lisp paradigm.

Likewise, when I began using the Linux OS, I spent a long time
feeling like I just wasn't getting it. A coworker suggested I
read, and lent me a copy of "The Unix Programming Environment"
by Rob Pike, a several decade old manual. I was skeptical but It
turned out to be just what I needed to get me finally comfortable
with the environment.

Sometimes the old fundamental stuff can really help.

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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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