LEARNIN' about computer stuffs

Odjn · 08-10-2010, 06:04 PM

Can someone recommend a beginner's guide or something for me to peek at and start learning about computer hardware/software? Books are cool too!

Nikose Tyris · 08-10-2010, 06:07 PM

compTIA has exactly what you need for hardware.

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/a.aspx

it talks, uses big words, but everyone should do their A+ (or even just do the practice test after downloading or buying the literature involved) and that should teach you everything you'll ever need to know about computer hardware.

There's no need for a 'beginners' guide to the hardware, either. It's dead simple. My 13 year old sister has passed the certification test for A+ hardware after practicing on old computers with me.

I'll leave software to someone else; It's not my strong suit.

Professor Smarmiarty · 08-10-2010, 06:40 PM

I think the best way to learn about computer hardware is to pull them apart and fiddle with them- just go find an old one and play wit h it.
What kind of software shit do you want to learn? Like coding and shits?

Odjn · 08-10-2010, 07:02 PM

Thanks Nikose I shall peruse that mightily.

I want to stop being ignorant about computers since I'm considering working in the field- namely hardware because I hear systems management is a good career- and I'd like to be able to whip up programs to do MATH for me someday so learning to code would be neat.

tl;dr

ODJN WANTS TO HAX

bluestarultor · 08-10-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Odjn

Thanks Nikose I shall peruse that mightily.

I want to stop being ignorant about computers since I'm considering working in the field- namely hardware because I hear systems management is a good career- and I'd like to be able to whip up programs to do MATH for me someday so learning to code would be neat.

tl;dr

ODJN WANTS TO HAX

I'm going to say when it comes to coding, HTML and CSS is a good place to start, since it's so like forum tags. Then you can move on to a bit of Javascript just to remain relevant.

Your first language, if you're just wanting to write stuff, will probably be Visual Basic if you go that route from the get-go. It's a very easy language in the sense that it's very easy to crank shit out. And I mean shit. The whole system promotes bad programming practices and sloppy work. It also looks like literally no other syntax in use today, so when you move to other languages, which all have similar syntax to each other, you're back at square one. If you want to actually USE it, go the first route and take up Java, because that's pretty much universal. Not nearly as friendly, but very widespread and it works on anything. If you're feeling masochistic, take up C++. If you're feeling slightly less so and want the benefits of .NET without VB, take up C#.

If you want to have fun programming, get Adventure Game Studio. It uses the .NET framework and provides I believe some basic code hinting, but the nice thing is that the syntax it uses (which is custom) is a lot like Javascript, which lets you make a smooth transition between option 1 and real programming. I actually suggested AGS to my teacher at NTC, but he said he couldn't use it because the pencil-pushers wanted to do the game programming stuff in Visual Basic (to which my brain screamed "WHYYYYYYYY!?").

Professor Smarmiarty · 08-10-2010, 07:39 PM

Depending on how much coding you need to know depends on what you need to learn. Coding is generally very straight forward and makes sense when you look at it but writing it from scratch is where it get complicated.
If you're happy enough to write very simple programmes/ just edit other people's programs doing courses in coding/reading books can be a waste of time in that you'll learn one language very throughly but not others and if you have a code in front of you you can work out what bits do what through common sense/occasional online look up. I do a fair bit of modifying of code and have never actually learnt any in my life- generally lines of code are self-explanatory.
If you want to do it hardcore and write everythigng from scratch you'll probably want to actually learn a language fully, probably C++ because that seems to come up a bit and there are plenty of free online couses.

Ifyou want to hax just put a hax button on your keyboard.

EVILNess · 08-10-2010, 07:45 PM

Remember this about any programming. It takes PRACTICE, like remember Math homework from high school? Like that but 10x worse cause if you are teaching yourself not only can you just do it wrong but you can do it right and it still not work due to errors in your logic, and those are a HUGE pain in the ass to find.

Yumil · 08-11-2010, 03:22 AM

On the programming side I suggest you go with C#. Most of the languages do a lot of the same things and have very similar syntaxes, so once you learn one really well, all you really have to do is buy a reference book for your language of choice and you'll quickly be able to churn out code for your new language(there are exceptions, but most modern high level languages are similar in basic syntax).

I suggest C# because the code is actually readable, compared to Visual Basic, and that is a big plus. The Visual Studio interface for making windows forms is rather easy to use and I assume that since you said you wanted to make programs to do the maths for you, that that's all you really want to mess with. I learned Java in college(begrudgingly, thats all UTD offered pretty much) and taught myself C# and C# is my choice(though on the portability side Java is still better equipped).

The one suggestion I have aside from language is to learn how to comment effectively as soon as you can. No, I'm not saying comment everyline, just enough to describe intent the method or class and/or the responsibilities it has. You should use naming conventions that are self-commenting, so anything that is obvious you don't really have to comment about. Self-commenting code and comments are very important. If there is something that is too complex for an outsider to know whats going on by looking at it, try refactoring it, if you can't simplify it make sure you comment and tell what you are doing there.

The readability of it and the commenting really helps when you revisit the code. I consistently recycle code from old projects, so I'm constantly revisiting old projects. It helps me remember what's going on. Also, it helps if you bring anyone else in on the code as they may not be on the save wavelength as you and may not understand what you are doing with 'a' and 'b', but would know if you named your variables '_customerName' and '_customerAge' instead(and/or commented about it).

So, TLDR:
C#, try to make your code as readable as possible.

Professor Smarmiarty · 08-11-2010, 05:37 AM

Yeah defos comment like a mofo, especially when you learning. It helps immensely.

Fifthfiend · 08-11-2010, 01:48 PM

Best thing you can do is take a class; teaching yourself programming from scratch is like doing your own root canal.

08-11-2010, 01:48 PM	#10
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	Best thing you can do is take a class; teaching yourself programming from scratch is like doing your own root canal. __________________ check out my buttspresso

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08-10-2010, 06:40 PM	#3
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	I think the best way to learn about computer hardware is to pull them apart and fiddle with them- just go find an old one and play wit h it. What kind of software shit do you want to learn? Like coding and shits?

08-10-2010, 07:39 PM	#6
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	Depending on how much coding you need to know depends on what you need to learn. Coding is generally very straight forward and makes sense when you look at it but writing it from scratch is where it get complicated. If you're happy enough to write very simple programmes/ just edit other people's programs doing courses in coding/reading books can be a waste of time in that you'll learn one language very throughly but not others and if you have a code in front of you you can work out what bits do what through common sense/occasional online look up. I do a fair bit of modifying of code and have never actually learnt any in my life- generally lines of code are self-explanatory. If you want to do it hardcore and write everythigng from scratch you'll probably want to actually learn a language fully, probably C++ because that seems to come up a bit and there are plenty of free online couses. Ifyou want to hax just put a hax button on your keyboard.

08-11-2010, 03:22 AM	#8
Yumil Action Hank ain't got nothin on me. Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 527	On the programming side I suggest you go with C#. Most of the languages do a lot of the same things and have very similar syntaxes, so once you learn one really well, all you really have to do is buy a reference book for your language of choice and you'll quickly be able to churn out code for your new language(there are exceptions, but most modern high level languages are similar in basic syntax). I suggest C# because the code is actually readable, compared to Visual Basic, and that is a big plus. The Visual Studio interface for making windows forms is rather easy to use and I assume that since you said you wanted to make programs to do the maths for you, that that's all you really want to mess with. I learned Java in college(begrudgingly, thats all UTD offered pretty much) and taught myself C# and C# is my choice(though on the portability side Java is still better equipped). The one suggestion I have aside from language is to learn how to comment effectively as soon as you can. No, I'm not saying comment everyline, just enough to describe intent the method or class and/or the responsibilities it has. You should use naming conventions that are self-commenting, so anything that is obvious you don't really have to comment about. Self-commenting code and comments are very important. If there is something that is too complex for an outsider to know whats going on by looking at it, try refactoring it, if you can't simplify it make sure you comment and tell what you are doing there. The readability of it and the commenting really helps when you revisit the code. I consistently recycle code from old projects, so I'm constantly revisiting old projects. It helps me remember what's going on. Also, it helps if you bring anyone else in on the code as they may not be on the save wavelength as you and may not understand what you are doing with 'a' and 'b', but would know if you named your variables '_customerName' and '_customerAge' instead(and/or commented about it). So, TLDR: C#, try to make your code as readable as possible.

08-11-2010, 05:37 AM	#9
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	Yeah defos comment like a mofo, especially when you learning. It helps immensely.