Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #32529

Re: Beginner

Show all headers | View raw

On Friday, September 4, 2015 at 12:43:16 PM UTC-4, Gene Wirchenko wrote:
>      Another would be to state that <book's language> works just like
> <other language> or just like <other language> except for.  That would
> help those who know <other language> pick up <book's language> more
> easily.  This could be a sidebar.
> 
That is a pointless waste of space in a book to tell someone how a language is or isn't like another language they may not know.  That is either the point of the book (learning Java made easier for those who know C) or a tangent.  Do you appreciate college professors who tell war stories?  Would you teach French to an English speaker by making correlations to Portuguese?

> >I taught myself Java using the Oracle online tutorials, since Java wasn't
>  really a thing when I was in college.  I had one semester of C
> language so I barely learned the basics.  My prior development was
> mainly COBOL and BASIC.
> 
> >Unless you're writing a "for dummies" book you could probably just assume the
>  reader knows the basics, like what is a variable.  Then a beginner
> book starts with defining the different variable types, and how to
> write class and method constructors.
> 
>      Well, no.  A beginner book should introduce the concept of a
> variable.  Otherwise, one can not begin with that book.

If you don't understand the concept of a variable, get a "for dummies" book.
For example, here's a beginner tutorial: http://www.w3schools.in/java/
They expect you have some general knowledge of programming.  They even mention "If you understand the basic concept of OOP java would be easy to master".

>      Or follow the text examples.

So you like buying hard copies of books that print programs you can copy into your favorite IDE by hand?  This sounds like a fine idea for anyone with no internet access who can't get media (CD, flash drive) with their book.  I have a nice 400+ page SQL DBA book.  It's been years since I looked at it but I'm sure it has code samples in it, but it's not a great way for most people to learn unless they have a photographic memory.

Back to comp.lang.java.programmer | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Beginner arya.neelan@gmail.com - 2015-08-31 05:39 -0700
  Re: Beginner e.d.programmer@gmail.com - 2015-08-31 06:27 -0700
    Re: Beginner Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2015-08-31 10:08 -0700
      Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-03 20:04 -0400
  Re: Beginner Ramon F Herrera <ramon@conexus.net> - 2015-09-02 16:33 -0500
    Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-03 20:13 -0400
    Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-03 20:15 -0400
  Re: Beginner Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2015-09-03 10:39 +0000
    Re: Beginner Gordon Levi <gordon@address.invalid> - 2015-09-04 01:16 +1000
      Re: Beginner Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2015-09-03 18:50 +0000
        Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-03 20:11 -0400
          Re: Beginner Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2015-09-04 08:38 +0000
            Re: Beginner e.d.programmer@gmail.com - 2015-09-04 05:21 -0700
              Re: Beginner Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2015-09-04 09:43 -0700
                Re: Beginner e.d.programmer@gmail.com - 2015-09-04 10:35 -0700
    Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-03 20:06 -0400
      Re: Beginner Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2015-09-04 08:41 +0000
  Re: Beginner "F. Berisha" <fmberisha@gmail.com> - 2015-09-07 02:30 +0200
    Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-06 21:44 -0400
      Re: Beginner Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2015-09-06 21:53 -0400
      Re: Beginner Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2015-09-07 08:43 +0000
        Re: Beginner Eternal Hope <laughingspam99@gmail.com> - 2015-09-07 13:02 +0100
          Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-07 11:17 -0400
        Re: Beginner Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2015-09-07 11:11 -0400
      Re: Beginner e.d.programmer@gmail.com - 2015-09-08 05:25 -0700

csiph-web