/g/ could not come close to helping me, so I figured that you guys could :D
I had a small foray with C++ a long while back ( First and only language), but I was too young to understand it at the time and I lacked the knowledge of its practical applicaton.
Anyway now that I am out of school and secure in my shitty job at some local computer place, I think I want to get back into programming. I am still open to the language, but from the information that I have compiled (get it?) I think I will be trying C++ again.
I plan on using DevBloodshed C++ compiler, and just learning out of a book. I know next to nothing about what I need or what I am doing, so any tips or advice that you may have would be much appreciated.
Don't get Dev-C++. It's terribly outdated. Get Code::Blocks with the latest version of MinGW or, better yet, just compile with MinGW from the command line and write in Notepad++.
C++ is a terrible language to learn programming in. While it is a very powerful and often-used language, it's only quite complicated and very unforgiving. You may want to consider another language instead. People have often recommended Python, and while I don't personally like the language, I'll grudgingly have to admit that it is a good tool for the job.
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Anonymous2009-09-03 7:14
Why the fuck do people use IDEs? Do you enjoy shitty, hard to customise, code layout? Cluttered screen, menus? Documentation that tries to substitute the real thing?
>>6
I use IDEs for convenience as all the functionality are located in one easy to learn graphical window. I use a 19" widescreen monitor in portrait mode solely to display code. I can see all 80 lines for the code width and still have room for GUI clutter. I have a second monitor for electronic documentation, and a third monitor for anything else. I also use a netbook for all my Internet related bafoonery.
>>9
me either and >>8's goofy ass reason is why
3 monitors + a laptop; gimme a fuckin break, urdoinitrong
professional devs use tabbed consoles on one screen and a second monitor for firefox
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Anonymous2009-09-03 11:29
>>10
Tabbed consoles hide the information you need. While it takes only one second to find the info you need, having to switch tabs/windows thousands of times each day for months on end gets annoying real fast. Having more monitors means having more screen real estate which means extra room for displaying anything at exactly the same time. I also use Xmonad, the Haskell based TWM.
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Anonymous2009-09-03 11:35
>>11
Your usage of a university only language, i.e. HASKAL gives away the fact that you don't really have any real world experience.
Quite simply you are a spoiled little college brat that has never had to make the best what the boss placed on your desk.
Be quiet, son. Grown ups are talking.
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Anonymous2009-09-03 11:43
>>12
Sucks to be in your workplace then. I just requested three monitors+extra gfx card got it three months after I filed the application. In my other jobs where I was denied, I just bought in my own monitor after getting IT's approval. Just so you know, I prefer working full time permanent rather than contracting on a project basis.
three months after I filed the application.
Yeah, sure sucks to be anybody else but you.
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Anonymous2009-09-03 13:37
OP here.
Thanks for the people who offered some advice, but this thread strongly resembles what happened in /g/...
I might take a look into Python, I have heard some people suggest it before. I might also take a look into LISP Scheme, some people have mentioned that as well.
It is hard to separate who is trying to help to who is trolling.
>>16
You should really abstract that pattern away into a compose function ;)
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Anonymous2009-09-03 14:16
>>15
Don't "look into" Scheme or LISP. Read "Structure and Interpretation of Programs" and "ANSI Common Lisp".
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Anonymous2009-09-03 14:20
Python is a nice language, it's a nice easy one to learn with. If you study computers in college, chances are you will learn Java (an infection in my opinion, but people like it because it introduces object-oriented programming early). C is a nice language to learn first, because one you become proficient at that you will have a god standing in procedural programming and will have learned enough about the ideas of logic to be able to tackle advanced topics in languages like C++. Haskell, tbh I never really used it, but I have heard good things about it.
Ultimately it is your choice and there's no right way to break into programming (there's plenty of wrong ways however), but start off with a nice easy, well documented language which you can quickly see results in. If I had to pick a language I would have to say C.
For IDEs, I have used Dev-C++, but - as has been said before - it isn't up to date. Last IDE I used was Visual Studio, of which there is a free edition (called Visual Studio Express). But if you have a computer with linux, you can use any text editor and then the gcc program (the gnu c compiler). Or like people have said before, use MinGW
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Anonymous2009-09-03 14:26
1) learn scheme, e.g., teach yourself scheme in fixnum days
2) SICP
3) "Object-Oriented Style" by Friedman
4) learn any language you want
>>13
I am IT. I denied you the extra monitor and graphics card for three months until your whiny ass boss gave my boss an $80 a plate sushi lunch for it.