Want to learn Coding

[Scotty55OEFVet]

Ok guys, I am currently going to school for an Associates Degree in Computer Science. There has been a few problems with some courses and my GPA has been affected by it. So, long story short the VA will not pay for my courses until this is taken care of and it may be a little while due to the fact I need to pay almost $600 to be able to register for my next cluster of courses. What I am asking is this:

I know that we have a community of guys that all have their respective careers and such. What I am looking for is someone who would take the time to possibly make a few tutorials for me on how to write code for programs etc. I am very interested in learning and I am a sponge when given the proper instruction. So, if any of you Software Genius' have the extra time and would be willing to teach me I would be very thankful. Just write let me know by leaving me an email or even a Phone number to get in contact with you. As I said, it would mean a very lot to me and I would not even mind if somewhere down the road even tossing you some cash!

                                                         Sincerely,
                                                                  ReDeViL2 (aka Scott)

[oneway]

Ok guys, I am currently going to school for an Associates Degree in Computer Science. There has been a few problems with some courses and my GPA has been affected by it. So, long story short the VA will not pay for my courses until this is taken care of and it may be a little while due to the fact I need to pay almost $600 to be able to register for my next cluster of courses. What I am asking is this:

I know that we have a community of guys that all have their respective careers and such. What I am looking for is someone who would take the time to possibly make a few tutorials for me on how to write code for programs etc. I am very interested in learning and I am a sponge when given the proper instruction. So, if any of you Software Genius' have the extra time and would be willing to teach me I would be very thankful. Just write let me know by leaving me an email or even a Phone number to get in contact with you. As I said, it would mean a very lot to me and I would not even mind if somewhere down the road even tossing you some cash!

                                                         Sincerely,
                                                                  ReDeViL2 (aka Scott)

Computer coding in today's construct attempts to emulate life in reflection...it attempts to reflect reality in an Object Oriented construct...and is hemmed in and by the standards adopted by the coders and architects who have their finger in the direction of that particular language.

It is impossible to address or answer your question unless or until you define your objectives and the language you wish to accomplish them in.

Oneway

[Scotty55OEFVet]

I guess I am looking for what some would say is the start of learning all types of coding. As I said, perhaps I would say Linux? C++? Im looking for more of a stepoff in the right direction. Where you would start someone new in the community and be the easiest for them to grow. IS that better?

[mensa180]

I would learn Python first because the syntax eliminates a large portion of what originally frustrates students and lets them focus on the logic of what they're doing instead of errant parenthesis (although these still occur ).  From Python you can take what you have learned and apply basically all but the most idiomatic things to other languages. 

[rpm]

First thing is you need to quit spelling so well.

[nrshida]

You could buy a copy of 'The C Programming Language' by Kernighan and Ritchie (ISBN 7-302-02412-X). Most versions of Linux have a free C compiler so you can practice. If you master the content of that book you will be able to turn your hand to anything later on including higher level languages.

[APDrone]

You could buy a copy of 'The C Programming Language' by Kernighan and Ritchie (ISBN 7-302-02412-X). Most versions of Linux have a free C compiler so you can practice. If you master the content of that book you will be able to turn your hand to anything later on including higher level languages.

That's not bad advice.  I still have my copy from 1986... gads, I think I just opened it for the first time in 20 years..lol. 

[gyrene81]

there is programming and there is scripting...similar but different outcomes. if you want to get a feel for either, get yourself a linux system running. Ubuntu is very popular and fairly easy to use and due to the size of the dev community has a ton of tools you can install. Fedora is fairly good, but since it is the development bed for redhat/cent os there can be issues at times. Cent os is the non-labeled open source version of redhat enterprise, for slightly more advanced users. When you get really comfortable with linux you can try gentoo or one of the slackware linux distros.

[Scotty55OEFVet]

Thank you all so much. It is amazing that there are people you have never met that are willing to help you out in any way. Thanks guys. If I have any questions Ill ask one of you. And what wrong with my spelling lol? I was 2nd in the 8th grade Spelling Bee...lol, misspelled outrageous. Forgot the E lol!

[JimmyC]

I heard bad "spilling" and bad grammar go hand in hand with coding?

good luck with it

[hyzer]

The fastest way to learn coding is to first think up a problem that can addressed by writing a program.  It doesn't really matter what but it has to stretch you a bit.  And often this is the hard part, dreaming up something to do. Being able to write "hello world" to the screen in a loop 1000 times and how to open and read a file shows that you can write a program that has correct syntax and compiles without errors, now what?

A completely useless idea may be to create an array of some of the planes in AH by type.  To do this you will need to open, read and parse a flat file of planes and types, then create the array.  Once this works you can loop through the array and print stuff out based on something you enter at the screen. 

Normally what happens with this type of project is you end up thinking up all kinds of new stuff to add to the program as you are writing it.   Anything that you have to go to a manual to get the syntax for is good at this point.   

[dedalos]

Ok guys, I am currently going to school for an Associates Degree in Computer Science. There has been a few problems with some courses and my GPA has been affected by it. So, long story short the VA will not pay for my courses until this is taken care of and it may be a little while due to the fact I need to pay almost $600 to be able to register for my next cluster of courses. What I am asking is this:

I know that we have a community of guys that all have their respective careers and such. What I am looking for is someone who would take the time to possibly make a few tutorials for me on how to write code for programs etc. I am very interested in learning and I am a sponge when given the proper instruction. So, if any of you Software Genius' have the extra time and would be willing to teach me I would be very thankful. Just write let me know by leaving me an email or even a Phone number to get in contact with you. As I said, it would mean a very lot to me and I would not even mind if somewhere down the road even tossing you some cash!

                                                         Sincerely,
                                                                  ReDeViL2 (aka Scott)

If you are looking for a course to bring your grades up, find something easier.  Coding is not as easy as they make it sound, especially when given as homework.  It is one thing to sit down and write what you want the way you want, and another to write what your teacher wants, the way he wants and with limited information or specs (done by design).  If you just want to learn start with data structures and design patterns and get a beginners book.  Language is relevant but Java is probably your best bet.  If nothing else everything comes free with it.  Start with C++ and quit soon there after 

Also keep in mind that programming is both an art and a science.  You need both and one does not replace the other. 

[shiv]

Shell scripting in Linux is a good intro to loops and logic. And Linux is free, more or less. I'd install it, then read a shell scripting tutorial like http://www.freeos.com/guides/lsst/ch02sec01.html

Write a script to automate something, or use it to munge AH kill stats. Then try to do the same thing in Python or whatever language you're going to be taking in class.

Good motivator if you have something that needs automating of course. Last thing I wrote was a Perl script that sent e-mails with the scoring updates for a golf pool across all 4 majors after the guy who ran the pool quit because it was too much work doing it by hand as the pool got bigger.

[SilverZ06]

subscribing

[nrshida]

Another very good book is 'Algorithms Plus Data Structures Equals Programs' by Niklaus Wirth (ISBN-13: 978-0130224187) (a really seminal text on the subject). It will also introduce you to the concept of pseudo code. Often the best tool at a programmer's disposal is a piece of scrap paper and a pen.

You can go a long way to understanding programming with very little money. Have a look on eBay for the books or if you're even more resourceful and old fashioned, see if your local library has copies which you can loan. 

I would second what people have said about Linux, essentially because it's a very cheap way to get yourself a simple text editor and a compiler.

Good luck young man