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Newbie Coders Chat

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Reply 140
Original post by Aklaol
I've been programming for 5 years. I'm currently at the age of 16.

Wow, you started young!
Original post by miser
Wow, you started young!


Ik, I was the lil nerd :frown:
Original post by Aklaol
Ik, I was the lil nerd :frown:


Meh. Non-nerds are irritating.
Original post by Craghyrax
Meh. Non-nerds are irritating.


Good point.
I want to learn how to code, but the vast amount information online makes my head hurt. I tried teaching myself HTML and CSS, but am only at the basic level tbh...
Original post by Aklaol
Oh don't get me wrong, Fortran isn't used at all. However, it's the fact that fortran is a complex formula translating language, so being able to program in that language at a sufficient level does show extreme intelligence and programming ability. Java is the most popular language in the world, I'd definitely say that getting into it would be good.


Oh right, guess I will keep bashing my head against the wall that is Fortran then haha.
How would you recommend that I get started with Java?
Original post by l1lvink
Oh right, guess I will keep bashing my head against the wall that is Fortran then haha.
How would you recommend that I get started with Java?


My personal recommendation would be to get straight to it.
https://adriann.github.io/programming_problems.html

^ List of beginner programming challenges. I'd say for you to try to do them whilst using Google to look up how to fulfill each stage of your program. So, if you're starting the first task (printing hello world to the screen), you'd look up on Google how to print in Java. This is how I learnt Java and all other programming languages, just by doing challenges and using Google when I get stuck. Most people would recommend something like Codecademy, but I'm just showing you how I learnt personally, since I hated Codecademy, and my method worked best for me.
Reply 147
Original post by Aklaol
My personal recommendation would be to get straight to it.
https://adriann.github.io/programming_problems.html

^ List of beginner programming challenges. I'd say for you to try to do them whilst using Google to look up how to fulfill each stage of your program. So, if you're starting the first task (printing hello world to the screen), you'd look up on Google how to print in Java. This is how I learnt Java and all other programming languages, just by doing challenges and using Google when I get stuck. Most people would recommend something like Codecademy, but I'm just showing you how I learnt personally, since I hated Codecademy, and my method worked best for me.

That link's a great resource! Have you had a go at Project Euler by the way?
HI Cragh....I stumbled on your post quite accidentally. There is absolutely no reason for me to be on this site. That said I am intrigued by you questions especially since I myself recently start to leaned new some new programming languages, frameworks and platforms after been away from programming for over thirty years. I would suggest to you that HTML and CSS is not technically programming. Languages won't be your chalenge as you try to move forward. You must have done a logic course such as philosophy 101 earlier. Your should revisit this course to refresh you logical thinking process then take this to problem solving. You will find your journey much easier. Now if you or any your other newbies really want to dig into some rewarding coding them you must start with platform like NodeJs. This is a JavaScript web development platform that make everything make sense. You can use JavaScript, Java, Python, etc even in combination to create solutions. This way you wIll have targets and goals which is very exciting when you achieve even the simplest of them. Don't worry about the language right now it will come....it's like in a foreign country....who cares if you get the grammar right the first time eventually you will become fluent only because you know what you want to say.
Original post by miser
That link's a great resource! Have you had a go at Project Euler by the way?


Nah. It doesn't interest me. Seems like a waste of time to me tbh.
https://projecteuler.net/ is good for increasingly challenging programming problems, giving you the option to approach it carefully or just brute force (like I always do)

I used to do Java, when I was like 12, albeit not very well. Now, I probably couldn't even do Hello World. I did have a look at python, although I somehow got bored with it. (no idea why, it's a great language!) I've recently picked Python back up, primarily using Google, and solving ProjectEuler problems.

I tried to use codecademy, but I found it quite slow and ultimately boring, to be absolutely honest.
Original post by Aklaol
Nah. It doesn't interest me. Seems like a waste of time to me tbh.


Why do you say that?
Original post by _gcx
Why do you say that?


Because Project Euler is a boring way to get into programming. The overall tasks are boring and repetitive. Programming needs to be fun.
Reply 153
Original post by _gcx
x

How many puzzles did you manage on Euler? :smile:
Reply 154
Original post by Aklaol
Because Project Euler is a boring way to get into programming. The overall tasks are boring and repetitive. Programming needs to be fun.

I think it typically appeals to people who like both maths puzzles and coding.
Original post by miser
I think it typically appeals to people who like both maths puzzles and coding.


But this is the problem. A lot of my friends have wanted to get into programming, but they're all afraid that it's extremely maths heavy. Obviously there is a significant amount of maths involved, but promoting these mathetmatical puzzles for beginners makes it extremely dull....
Original post by miser
How many puzzles did you manage on Euler? :smile:


I've been at it for around 5 days, and I've only done 22 :P

Some of them I am able to solve, but they will take far too long to execute by using brute force as I am now. (10 and 25, because of the recursion, for example)

I'm still working at it, though :wink:
Reply 157
Original post by Aklaol
But this is the problem. A lot of my friends have wanted to get into programming, but they're all afraid that it's extremely maths heavy. Obviously there is a significant amount of maths involved, but promoting these mathetmatical puzzles for beginners makes it extremely dull....

I think Euler is usually too difficult for coding beginners unless you have a strong maths background. Most beginners to coding are also learning how to think algorithmically, in addition to the workings of their chosen language.
Original post by miser
I think Euler is usually too difficult for coding beginners unless you have a strong maths background. Most beginners to coding are also learning how to think algorithmically, in addition to the workings of their chosen language.


I've just personally always thought that programming a mathematical solution to a problem is a waste of my time. I'd rather do something exciting and fun.
Reply 159
Original post by _gcx
I've been at it for around 5 days, and I've only done 22 :P

Some of them I am able to solve, but they will take far too long to execute by using brute force as I am now. (10 and 25, because of the recursion, for example)

I'm still working at it, though :wink:

I don't remember how many I solved (it was a few years ago now), but I remember being limited by my maths ability. I've never studied maths beyond school so the problems tended to be fairly tricky, and often difficult to research into. Still, pretty fun though. :smile: Good luck with it!

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