Just getting started
Hello everyone I've been a member of this site for about 5 minutes now, working up the courage to type something. Anyway Im 21 years old and recently figured out I wanted to learn coding so I got alot of questions for anyone willing to help me out.
To start of I've always been able to learn things fairly easy and quick, I dropped out of school after 16 with A in the core subjects with a 50% attendance to classes, English is my second language but I can handle it fairly good. Im currently unemployed but searching for jobs so got alot of extra time on my hands right now. Just FYI I have never even been near any programming or anything related to programming.
Alright so with you all knwoing this I would love it if you could help me out with how to start out and how to progress.
Im currently reading a guide on this site that I found on another forum.
I would like to know where is the best place to start, what software to use and basicly anything useful for someone like me.
Thanks in advance,
Kind regards, Robbehe.
To start of I've always been able to learn things fairly easy and quick, I dropped out of school after 16 with A in the core subjects with a 50% attendance to classes, English is my second language but I can handle it fairly good. Im currently unemployed but searching for jobs so got alot of extra time on my hands right now. Just FYI I have never even been near any programming or anything related to programming.
Alright so with you all knwoing this I would love it if you could help me out with how to start out and how to progress.
Im currently reading a guide on this site that I found on another forum.
I would like to know where is the best place to start, what software to use and basicly anything useful for someone like me.
Thanks in advance,
Kind regards, Robbehe.
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Get a compiler, start coding ( http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/ is a place to start ). Copy the first program there into a text file and compile it.
People will push you to start with an IDE on the grounds that it makes things easier. I disagree and I think that an IDE makes it harder for a beginner to learn, but that's just one man's opinion.
People will push you to start with an IDE on the grounds that it makes things easier. I disagree and I think that an IDE makes it harder for a beginner to learn, but that's just one man's opinion.
That's the one Im reading at this very moment.
Where do I get a good and preferably free compiler?
As I said earlier I learn most things fairly fast and easy, It's just I have no idea what to do and if I figure that out...how to do it.
I guess Ill just have to use my imagination a little :)
Where do I get a good and preferably free compiler?
As I said earlier I learn most things fairly fast and easy, It's just I have no idea what to do and if I figure that out...how to do it.
I guess Ill just have to use my imagination a little :)
Your choice of compiler depends to a degree on your operating system. What operating system?
Currently on XP, got access to W7 and Linux tho, would switching OS make a big diffrence? If so what OS is prefered?
If you want fast things, you should keep Windows XP SP3 or Windows 7. Also Windows XP w/o SP3 goes Ok.
Linux is kind of more limited for some beginners.
The common free IDE is Code::Blocks, also on Linux.
For windows, download it with the MinGW installer here:
http://www.codeblocks.org/downloads/26
( codeblocks-10.05mingw-setup.exe )
Also there is Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 Express
( http://www.microsoft.com/it-it/download/details.aspx?id=20682 )
It's free but Windows-only, and is kind-of better from some Point of Views, like, secured functions that helps you hevitate buffer overflowing (Accessing memory you don't "own").
They can also be done with Code::Blocks anyways (Just some beginners don't notice them as fast as on VS08), and, as far as you use STL,
(Extended Name: Standard Template Library)
("using namespace std" at the beginning, or "std::*TYPE*" as a type)
you will not have to worry about them.
And yes, switching from Windows to Linux is a big difference.
Switching from XP to 7 isn't.
Switching from 7 to XP may be, due to some Graphical Issues with W7-only Windows Forms.
But, as a beginner, you will use the console and you will not have to worry about them right now.
Linux is kind of more limited for some beginners.
The common free IDE is Code::Blocks, also on Linux.
For windows, download it with the MinGW installer here:
http://www.codeblocks.org/downloads/26
( codeblocks-10.05mingw-setup.exe )
Also there is Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 Express
( http://www.microsoft.com/it-it/download/details.aspx?id=20682 )
It's free but Windows-only, and is kind-of better from some Point of Views, like, secured functions that helps you hevitate buffer overflowing (Accessing memory you don't "own").
They can also be done with Code::Blocks anyways (Just some beginners don't notice them as fast as on VS08), and, as far as you use STL,
(Extended Name: Standard Template Library)
("using namespace std" at the beginning, or "std::*TYPE*" as a type)
you will not have to worry about them.
And yes, switching from Windows to Linux is a big difference.
Switching from XP to 7 isn't.
Switching from 7 to XP may be, due to some Graphical Issues with W7-only Windows Forms.
But, as a beginner, you will use the console and you will not have to worry about them right now.
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Ha. Here comes an OS war :p
I code on linux, generally because of the ease of using the compiler under linux and the ease of actually being able to do things (others disagree - I find it very frustrating to have to rely on a magic button push, or yomp through endless drop-down menus to find settings; other people hate the burden of choice and fine control and like to just have a big button to push, and of course the range inbetween those two poles).
It's literally as easy as:
to build a simple program (like the one at the start of the tutorial).
If you're just starting out, you really do have the opportunity here to start coding in a plan text file and manually call the compiler yourself. In doing so, and then learning about how to use and link libraries, you will give yourself a fundamental understanind of what's going on that so many allegedly professional coders with years of experience lack (do a goole search for "unresolved symbol" - 90% of people asking about that simply do not understand how plain text is turned into a program , and they spend hours and hours thrashing around because they just don't understand what to do when the magic button doesn't work).
By all means, once you've been doing it by hand for a couple of weeks, get some IDEs and see how you like them, but I really do recommend starting with plain text and command-line calling the compiler yourself.
I code on linux, generally because of the ease of using the compiler under linux and the ease of actually being able to do things (others disagree - I find it very frustrating to have to rely on a magic button push, or yomp through endless drop-down menus to find settings; other people hate the burden of choice and fine control and like to just have a big button to push, and of course the range inbetween those two poles).
It's literally as easy as:
g++ example.cpp |
to build a simple program (like the one at the start of the tutorial).
If you're just starting out, you really do have the opportunity here to start coding in a plan text file and manually call the compiler yourself. In doing so, and then learning about how to use and link libraries, you will give yourself a fundamental understanind of what's going on that so many allegedly professional coders with years of experience lack (do a goole search for "unresolved symbol" - 90% of people asking about that simply do not understand how plain text is turned into a program , and they spend hours and hours thrashing around because they just don't understand what to do when the magic button doesn't work).
By all means, once you've been doing it by hand for a couple of weeks, get some IDEs and see how you like them, but I really do recommend starting with plain text and command-line calling the compiler yourself.
I didn't really mean the compiler, (and well, about the compiler, I'm more of a "think about the program"-guy than a "think about compile command"-guy, i prefer the Compile/Compile and Run button, lol) but, really I didn't find many infos about Linux's GUI API (X11, right?)
But, this doesn't mean one is better than another, also I didn't google so much about Linux, maybe there are lots of Linux GUI Tutorials and i know nothing about that.
But, this doesn't mean one is better than another, also I didn't google so much about Linux, maybe there are lots of Linux GUI Tutorials and i know nothing about that.
Well thanks alot for all the inputs, I guess ill start by finishing the turtorial ( http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/ ). Still appreciate it if anyone has any other inputs or beginners tips tho! Again thanks alot!
Okay guys so Im almost halfway thru the "Language Turtorial" and honestly, too much information to sap up for me, I mean come on am I supposed to remember all of this ? I guess it gets easier with time but still there is alot of stuff to remember.
Okay guys so Im almost halfway thru the "Language Turtorial" and honestly, too much information to sap up for me, I mean come on am I supposed to remember all of this ? I guess it gets easier with time but still there is alot of stuff to remember.
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You don't really "remember" all the details. They simply become ingrained after you code a LOT of programs. Apply all you learn in as many ways as you can. Avoid copy/pasting anything in the beginning. You will eventually train your brain to use the proper syntax unconsciously.
You will also never remember every detail of every available function. Nobody can. That's what documentation is for. Get comfortable researching things, it's a big part of writing software.
You will also never remember every detail of every available function. Nobody can. That's what documentation is for. Get comfortable researching things, it's a big part of writing software.
Okay so I found a pretty good "step-by-step" guide and I have to say I already feel more comfortble using C++.
Im reading alot about C++ not being used to much and that it's to complex, is this true? Should I maybe focus on learning something a little more simple first ?
Edit : Don't hate Im just asking since I see alot of people hating on C++.
Im reading alot about C++ not being used to much and that it's to complex, is this true? Should I maybe focus on learning something a little more simple first ?
Edit : Don't hate Im just asking since I see alot of people hating on C++.
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It isn't really "Complex", once you get used to it you will even notice how "free" it is, as of pointer casting and various sh*t, I cannot program without pointers anymore. And let me tell you, probably the only easy language you can do anything with, is C and C++. You can make Simple and Complex Fast Games, Simple GUI Applications like a Text Editor, Complex GUI Applications like Antiviruses or Browsers or Data Exchange Applications or Chat Programs, or also to "Output" data via Parallel Port (simple) or also via USB Port (more difficult from the Output side to "decode" this data). Also, Linux's based on C / C++.
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