🚀 go-pugleaf

On 6 Mar 1997, Mark Kanter wrote:

> I'm looking for a career change and want to learn programming.  I have a
> little experience programming in Access v1.  I'm reading The Visual Guide
> to Visual Basic for v2.  (Is v2 much different from the latest version?)
> 
> From the research I've done it seems the best paying jobs come from knowing
> Visual Basic along with another language such as C, C++, or Java.  Do you
> agree?

C is definately a good start if you were wanting to learn how to program,
but the best advice would be to learn as much as you can about the system
itself (Nab "Upgrading and Repairing PC's 6th Ed." somehow and have a
squiz.)  Because, well from my experience, programming is a little easier
then.  Once you have a good foundation in C, yeah sure try OOP and Java
but try little bits and pieces at first, then move on forward if you like
it.

> 
> I would also appreciate anyone's thoughts as to:
> 
>  1)  what languages you think I should learn and why?

I know this may sound like drivel, but probably the best for
a beginner is QBASIC or Turbo Pascal as they are frequently used
to teach programmers, well, how to program. :)
Pascal is especially good to learn on, because it has enough flexibility
to allow you write more intense code (It has an inline assembler like C).

> 
>  2)  how long it took you to learn them (if you did)?

It depends on how good at solving problems you are... and how much you
love to program.  Coding is my LIFE but I didn't really realise it until a
few years back when I discovered TASM v2.51.  I thought it was the
greatest.  I mucked around with GW-Basic when I was about 12 or so but I
didn't really have much motivation to 'do' things with it.  I'm still
learning assembly language, and I'm pretty sure I've got everything
I will need out of C++ and Pascal though there's still plenty more tricks 
to learn.

> 
>  3)  how did you learn them?

Books.  Patience. Time. Money.

> 
>  4)  how do you think I should go about learning them?

Hang out at a library and just soak it up.  I don't think reading
magazines would be a good basis for beginner programmers.  Technical
manuals on things your especially interested in. Personally I love
graphics and sound so most of my pootie-book collection is devoted to
multimedia programming, and interaction with video and sound cards as well
as one or two on programming languages.  "Using C", "C++ for Dummies",
"Teach yourself Pascal", "Mastering C++","Mastering Turbo Assembler", and
a whole heap on VGA, and low level programming. (I work in a book store...
so it kind of helps when you get them cheap...)

> 
> Your input would be a great help.
> Thanks
> Mark
> 
> my email is: kanters @mail.webspan.net
> 
>