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View Full Version : Lost Newbie - Seeking Professional Help!


KillaBandaid
01-06-2010, 02:31 AM
Alright, first of all I realize this is general and that is why I'm having a problem. I'm quite savvy with computers on a typical user level, but have very little knowledge on the deeper level of computer programming, or the inner workings of a computer or the internet, even the terms for that matter are rather foreign. It would be fair to say I'm on the same level as most people my age (late teens to early 20's). I'm very excited to start pursuing my interests in computers and computer programming but I've come to the "end of the world" as far as my knowledge goes. I have read a good amount, but find a general lack of information or conflicting standpoints on where to start.

Anyway, enough background; my question is where do I start? Where is a good jumping off point? I feel like everything I've learned on my own has been bits and pieces of different stories that I shouldn't be learning quite yet. So do I learn about how the internet works?...how computers work? Do I jump right in with programming? I want to learn it all some day.

I will be starting next semester with an Intro to Programming course, but the professor hasn't responded with what language we will be learning (I'd imagine C), or how to better prepare myself for his class.

I guess in short I'm looking for a finger to point me in the right direction, possibly even someone I can bounce questions off of.

I plan on learning as much as I can, just unsure as to what would be best to learn first. I really appreciate your time and help.

oracleguy
01-06-2010, 04:40 AM
Well we have talked about this at length before so you can start by looking through the following threads as a jumping off point:

http://www.codingforums.com/showthread.php?t=40778
http://www.codingforums.com/showthread.php?t=178755 (Ignore the code the OP posted near the end it is seriously flawed)
http://www.codingforums.com/showthread.php?t=160413

And Spookster has some very solid advice he has given before:
http://www.codingforums.com/showpost.php?p=859611&postcount=8
http://www.codingforums.com/showpost.php?p=859870&postcount=15


As for which language you want to learn, I personally would recommend something like C++ or C#. Regardless though of what language you use in school, if they want to you to use C or Java or whatever, it isn't like learning something like C++ now is going to hurt you professionally. The more languages you know the more versatile you are.

As said in the posts I linked, the language isn't as important as the concepts.

KillaBandaid
01-06-2010, 09:40 AM
Sorry for having not checked the website more thoroughly. I greatly appreciate the links and will look over them as soon as I have a minute.

Jstrausss
01-18-2010, 04:01 PM
Spookster has some very solid advice he has given before:
http://www.codingforums.com/showpost.php?p=859611&postcount=8
http://www.codingforums.com/showpost.php?p=859870&postcount=15


I have to thank you for your question because I was getting very hung up and lost on where to start. Most books and online tutorials do not teach you those other more important steps in coding. Spookster definatly had some great helpful words of advise.

John