Sup Forums, how do I find the motivation to learn a programming language?
It is so tedious trying to learn, and by watching videos online, I don't know if I'm learning all of the language. If I decide to learn through a book, I gotta grind through 1000+ pages of code that has no definite explanation.
Where do I find the motivation to program?
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You need to actually program, faggot.
Watching vidz and books are what you use as assistance for coding.
There is no replacement, code and code and test and fix bugs
Learn by doing is the only real way. Come up with a reasonable idea of something you want to do and start working towards that goal.
Or just get a raspberry pi or arduino and start making little "internet of things" stuff like a thermometer you can read from your PC, monitor plant moisture etc. Easy things that'll teach you how to do harder stuff down the line.
But how would I learn what to even do if I didn't use those resources?
I have just a plain RaspPi 2, no thermal or moisture have though.
So what you guys are recommending is to just send myself in a direction then to learn as I go? But won't I not learn the functions of whatever I am not building?
Also whenever you get stuck on something, use google. 99% of all issues you encounter have an answer on stack exchange.
see without a goal you won't have a chance
>watching videos online
only brainlets and pajeets do this
You can't just learn everything at once. Regardless of what project you make, you'll learn the basic concepts like vars, loops, logic etc.
I've been at it for over a decade and I definitely don't consider myself an expert. You make something, evaluate, learn along the way. Then either go back and rewrite with your newfound knowledge or take it to your next project.
Why learn programming if there is nothing you want to program?
Would anyone have a recommendation with what I can use my raspberry pi for then to learn programming?
That is horrifying that it took so long. Hopefully I can binge a language. Would a good tactic be to make a program, pull info from books, documentation, and videos, and to proceed with program creation?
I want to program things but the effort and grind of getting into programming wards me away.
Also, how do I cope with the sheer redundancy of programming? You program all day but if it is a backend language, you will never see the fruit of your efforts.
You can definitely learn to make functional code rapidly. But learning how to write good, easily maintainable code takes a lot longer. It depends on how high standards you have.
This week I've decided to learn some C++ because I need it to program a new microcontroller. All I'm gonna use it for is turn some LEDs on and off, but I think it's a good goal to start with.
Would trying to make robots and things be a valid thing to start with, do you think?
Learn Visual Basic using visual studio, make some nice .exe's with a nice gui (idk calculator or something, I did a LAN messenger), it's easy (especially with msdn ). then once you get the hang of it move onto a bigger and better language (C# if you wanna stick with NET). It might not be the best language for professional use but it will teach you the fundamentals and it's not completely abstract (like python imo) or broken. It's just a nice and easy language. DONT try to learn something like C++ as your first language, it will demoralise you.
You'll learn how to appreciate back end programming pretty quickly, that's where all the magic happens. Front end is just pretty visuals.
I'm self-hosting a couple of servers, and I still think it's wild that thousands of people from across the world find real time use for a computer in my basement.
Sure. At least something resembling smart RC cars. There's kits like these that will help you get started: adafruit.com
Then as you learn you can grab stuff like IR sensors, cameras, adding wifi controls etc.
And don't be afraid to do things just for the lulz. Like this one guy who made a grumpy cat blimp to test the web bluetooth API:
youtube.com
I was planning on learning C# for my first language. I saw a YouTube create a great variety of robots with it and that would be something interesting to teach myself the language and see that I'm actually making something. What are your thoughts?
That is definitely crazy stuff, having a server farm and all just feet below you with worldwide connections.
My main reason for having urgency in learning is that I need to show colleges a portfolio in about a year, and I am unsure as to what I can program to show that I am worth a damn. I was thinking making apps, or starting a YouTube channel to show off my creations. What would you say is the best way to create a mass array of programs that are good? Should I just binge programming day and night and come up with random stuff or should I try and solve problems.
Depends on what you're looking into doing. Here are some stats on language popularity from github: githut.info
JavaScript is used everywhere. Your browser runs it, all adobe software runs it, you can make server applications with it using node.js. It's a scripting language tho more than straight up programming.
Java if you want to make apps for phones.
PHP if you wanna make a career fixing Pajeet code after a company gets hacked or their system breaks (I've made a fair bit of money doing this). It's generally regarded as a meme language tho, I personally prefer node for websites nowadays.
C C# C++ I don't have much experience with. I'd say skip C tho, as you'll want some experience with object oriented programming. I've been looking up some C++ examples and it seems like a fairly easy language to learn the basics of.
Go, if the though of working for Google makes you moist.
Can't help you much there, colleges/universities where I live usually require little to no prior expertise to join, as they tend to teach from scratch.
It's a well made and documented language and is used professionally (also is my favourite language). I think it would be a good first language. Personally i taught myself batch when I was 10 then climbed the ladder of more advanced programming languages (I did C# when I was 13-14). One of the most valuable things that I learnt is to try to avoid tutorials or books, someone like you (and me) will just subconsciously copy it instead of learning. Try instead to find a starting point (like making a empty GUI project in visual studio) then use the documentation and stack overflow from there.
Don't learn some fucking scripting language, learn a language that actually compiles into something and that isn't ridiculously abstract/higher level.
Regardless of the language, the concepts of functions, data types, scopes, logic, loops, etc are basically the same. They're just represented in a different way visually.
Wow thank you, this is actually a very good set of instructions. I am trying to accumulate a portfolio so I can distinguish myself from the other applicants. MIT isn't gonna let a scrub in.
I am gonna have to agree with you, and I am not planning on it. I would like to have code that can actually show me a result that is worth a shit for my time.
Also true. Just different ways of seeing the output.
I must say this was a very helpful thread, thank you everyone.
Does anyone have any ideas of what I can use this RaspPi for to help my programming or should I just wing it and find a way?
I started learning SQLite when I determined that I could use EvE Online market data dumps to undercut profitable trades. (It was actually you guys who told me I was a faggot for trying to use Access, and you were right!)
I have a series of scripts I've developed over about half a year and there is literally no better way for me to make ISK now, so, mission accomplished.
You can always start off with python. Do something simple like turning an LED on or off. There's lots of tutorials if you just google.
>go to university of choice website, find bookstore page
>find textbook for programming language
>torrent said textbook and do the odd-numbered exercises
>rinse and repeat with next levels of course using same language
but make sure it's language used in an industry projected to grow by quite a bit in the next few decades, otherwise you'll just be wasting your time