Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!news.glorb.com!news.linkpendium.com!news.linkpendium.com!panix!panix3.panix.com!not-for-mail From: cate3@panix.com (Henry Cate) Newsgroups: comp.lang.java.programmer Subject: Re: Recommendations for an online Introduction to programming using Java Date: 17 Dec 2013 18:25:31 -0500 Organization: PANIX -- Public Access Networks Corp. Lines: 60 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: panix3.panix.com X-Trace: reader1.panix.com 1387322731 18538 166.84.1.3 (17 Dec 2013 23:25:31 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@panix.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2013 23:25:31 +0000 (UTC) Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.java.programmer:26986 In article , Martin Gregorie wrote: >On Tue, 17 Dec 2013 14:37:50 -0500, Henry Cate wrote: > >> I skimmed the first one and it doesn't seem basic enough >> for what I want, but it does look like a good resource for once these >> teenagers get going. >> >In a way its a pity you're going for Java, much as I like it personally. >I had the same problem getting started. I was already an experienced >programmer at that point (lots of assembler, COBOL and C plus projects >written using PL/1, TAL and RPG 3 [shudder]), but a 5 day Sun Java course >didn't help me at all. I eventually got a copy of Ivor Horton's >"Beginning Java". I'm certain its not to best book in the world, but it >did get me set on the right path and had the advantage of assuming I'd >learn using a command line, my favourite text editor and the JDK. Later I >picked up ant and the use of an IDE. It also has a decent collection of >fairly well thought-out examples and exercises. > >Why a pity? Because I thought one of the best computer language teaching >books I have used was "The C Programming Language" by Kernighan & Richie. >They write very well and provide both excellent example code and useful >chapter-end examples. I do think that a beginner could learn to write >decent C using only this book and would, at the end of it, find they had >a useful conceptual grounding that could be easily extended to make sense >of almost any other block-structured language. > >Add a copy of "The Practise of Programming" by Kernighan & Pike, which >BTW, can be usefully read to improve your programming in almost any >modern language and you have a solid basis for any programmer's reference >library. This book takes over where the language teaching texts leave off >and contains sound advice in writing code that is well structured with a >sensible naming convention, while also being easy to debug and easy to >read and maintain. Thanks for the suggestions. I don't think I've read "The Practise of Programming." I'll have to check it out. Along these lines if "Code Complete" by Steve McConnell. I think he does a great job of explaing the craft of programming. He has posted the book online if you want to check it out: http://www.cc2e.com/Page.aspx?nid=71 >Top those off with a copy of Sedgewick's "Algorithms" and you have the >basis of a programming reference library that will serve you well for a >very long time. > > >-- >martin@ | Martin Gregorie >gregorie. | Essex, UK >org | -- ---------- Henry Cate cate3@panix.com "Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others." -- Jacob M. Braude Our blog: http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/