[ale] Programming Question - Where to Start

[Irv Mullins]

On Wednesday 24 October 2001 10:00 am, Charles Marcus wrote:
>
> So, my question is, where shouod I start?  Is there a good book for
> absolute beginners, that won't assume that I know a bunch of stuff that I
> don't? Should I take a class?  Both?  I was planning on finding a good book
> for beginners, worky my way through that, then once I know enough to be
> dangerous, see if I can find a class.

If the goal is to learn enough to be dangerous, perl can be more dangerous 
faster than almost any other language, since it is one of the few known 
interpreters which will execute random line noise.:)

Seriously, the discussion seems to be limited to perl or python (execpt for a 
passing mention of C++ ) - but lots of "real" programmers have little use 
for scripting languages, good or bad, in their day-to-day work. 

Look thru the CS textbooks in your local used bookstore, and buy any that 
you find readable.  Study them, download some free compilers, and write some 
simple programs. If, after that, you still want to be a programmer, then look 
for some classes. But, as someone else mentioned, stay away from the 
commercial seminar type stuff - you'll leave thinking you've learned a lot, 
only to find out later that you haven't. Try for college, night school, or 
tech school classes.  

And don't worry much about whether you're learning the "best" language - most 
programmers know several, and are busy trying to learn a new one, and forget 
an old one, in order to stay employed.

Regards,
Irv Mullins

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