Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #32518

Re: Beginner

Newsgroups	comp.lang.java.programmer
Date	2015-09-04 05:21 -0700
References	(1 earlier) <ms981m$1n5$1@dont-email.me> <7aoguatpl74jhjjh3ba06s6tgc6sb0o55u@4ax.com> <msa4qb$mf1$1@dont-email.me> <msaniq$2hm$1@speranza.aioe.org> <msbl9f$hgg$1@dont-email.me>
Message-ID	<d6156b41-9559-404a-9b81-290b00ef95d4@googlegroups.com> (permalink)
Subject	Re: Beginner
From	e.d.programmer@gmail.com

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On Friday, September 4, 2015 at 4:40:06 AM UTC-4, Martin Gregorie wrote:
> Yes, agreed, but that implies that the reader has a reasonable amount of 
> experience with the other language. C or C++ references are useless or 
> worse for a COBOL, Fortran or RPG2 programmer. 
> 
> What you're really saying is that we need two types of programming books: 
> one for ab initios and another for those who are learning an additional 
> language. I'm not disagreeing, but would say that its probably easier to 
> write a good ab initio book than it is to write an equally good book that 
> assumes prior knowledge.

That is what I was thinking.  Why would any book specifically mention another language, unless it's easier to explain in relative terms and they call the book something like "Java Made Easy for the C Programmer"?
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.

I once bought a thick book that tells everything you need to know about being a SQL DBA.  I got through at least 100 pages and gave up as I decided it's too tedious to learn coding by reading, trying to remember all the commands.  It's much easier to learn by doing, so to be able to follow an online tutorial with code samples is wonderful.

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

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