Where should I start?
Navy_Teen
Oct 03, 2004
2:27 PM |
My name is Josh and I'm am 13yo. I am new to programming and am very interested. However, I have no idea where to get started. I am learning basic HTML using a couple of books from the library:
Creating Web Pages for Dummies, by Bud Smith and Arthur BebakA Beginners Guide to Basic HTML, by Wendy Willard
I think that I have about gotten it down good, I made a small website and it looks pretty good.
So my question is, which language do you think that I ought to try to learn first and why would you pick that language(ex: pros, cons, etc.)?
-Josh
P.S.
I found out about this forum when I met J_Maxwell at one of his parent's workshops in Virginia. :) |
J_Maxwell
Oct 05, 2004
8:25 AM |
Josh,
Good to hear from you! Because we're still on the road, I'll post a quick response now, and finish up later. I would recommend that you start learning CSS. I just started, and really regret not knowing it sooner. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language that standardizes web layout. For example, you would create a style sheet for all of your td's (table cells). Therefore, whenever you link your HTML page to your style sheet, and there is a td in the document, it will look like what you specify. Hope this is clear.
Here is a link to a place that has a lot of information regarding this:
[HYPERLINK@www.w3schools.com]
Joseph |
SweetT
Oct 07, 2004
2:01 PM |
Hello Josh!,
My name is Tim, I'm 14--and I'm doing the same thing as you. I started trying out programming about a year ago, and have gotten a good start. I'm definitely in agreement with Joseph. I'm learning HTML, CSS, and XHTML right now (but I'm having a hard time getting a chance to practicing using what I learn) and it's really helping my web skills.
I had a post titled "Starting Programming" that you might want to look at if you want some pros and cons of different languages--I got a lot of responses. Just use the search tool on the site--Sorry, I don't have the link right this second!
Well,welcome to the Forums!
In Christ,
SweetT |
Navy_Teen
Oct 09, 2004
7:26 PM |
Hey, sorry I didn't reply sooner. I have been pretty busy with school and family stuff lately and haven't gotten a chance to get on the Internet much.
Joseph,
I have looked at the site you gave me and started the tutorial; it's pretty interesting. Though I do have a question, "what exactly does CSS do for you? I have not figured that out yet, even though it has been referred to in the HTML books I have read.
SweetT,
"I had a post titled "Starting Programming" that you might want to look at if you want some pros and cons of different languages--I got a lot of responses." I have in fact found that thread and thought that it was very informative.
I looked through it carefully and it seems like it could be narrowed down to a couple of languages:Visual BasicDelphiWould you add any to that list or not. And What is the difference between the different languages? what would you say a good one is?
Looking forward to reading any replies,
IC,
Josh |
J_Maxwell
Oct 10, 2004
12:59 PM |
Josh,
Basically, a style sheet is some code to which every page that is linked to it uses as a guideline for looks. Below is a little bit of code:
td{
background-color:#FFFFFF
}
This is some CSS code, in it, what we're doing is this: Let's say that we have the following HTML page (after stripping out the space after the opening sign):
< html>
< body>
< table>
< tr>
< td>
Text here
< /td>
< /tr>
< /table>
< /body>
< /html>
In this style sheet, we have one td tag. Therefore, if we link to this style sheet, or include it in the document using the < style> tags, the td's background color will be automatically set. The advantage is in where one has a large website. Using CSS, you can administrate the whole website from one style sheet!
I would recommend that you learn C# .NET. It really is an incredible language. In it, I haven't seen many negatives -- everything has very clean code, etc. Object Pascal really is a fairly cluttered language, although it does same some advantages. VB also does have some pitfalls, like not being able to assign a type of a variable to it. C# fixes all of these problems quite effectively. It's link it [HYPERLINK@msdn.microsoft.com] .
Hope that this helps!
Joseph |
Will_In_Wi
Oct 10, 2004
2:51 PM |
Also if you do it correctly, you can use mono to run your C# apps in linux. :-) |
Navy_Teen
Oct 12, 2004
3:43 PM |
Alright, I think that I now sort of understand what CSS is.
But now I have some questions,
What does ".NET" mean?
Is there any special way I should learn C#.NET (book, web, etc.)?
What do you think about the for Dummies series?
Will_in_Wi,
what does "mono mean? What are C# apps? And what exactly is linux?
Thanks in advance,
Josh |
M36Teen
Oct 12, 2004
5:23 PM |
Josh,
Hey, welcome to the forums! I'm 16 and am preparing for my INet+ and A+ certifications. C# apps, are APPlicationS programmed with the language C#. As for linux, is an operating system, like Windows or Mac, only different. Also, it is free!
HTH,
Jake |
J_Maxwell
Oct 16, 2004
6:39 PM |
Josh,
C# apps is a shorthand way to say C# applications (instead of applications it's apps). As for learning C#, I would recommend that you download ([HYPERLINK@lab.msdn.microsoft.com]) the new beta version of C# 2005 Express. It's certainly not perfect, but it's really great. Start out by trying to understand the screensaver application that comes with it. If you have any questions, ask away!
Here is a good example of .NET. Say you have a Christmas present. Inside is our app, and the wrapping paper is .NET (.NET is a wrapper that when used to program with, basically wraps the code, and executes the code then). The problem is that you want to secure your present from someone getting it, at the same time, wanting this wrapping paper to be used in wrapping several different packages (or diverse programming languages - vb, c#, object pascal, c++, etc). You also have one other problem, you want to give same present to several people (your dad, your big brother, and the baby; different OS's). .NET allows you to do all of this very quickly and easily. The best way to look at .NET is in two parts. The first is the code to be executed, and the second is the executor. When you write any code in .NET, it will generate the code that will be fed to the executor. The executor (which is specifically written for each OS that it runs on) takes the code and graphically presents it to the user in the form of a program. This is a very brilliant idea. In this case, I easily write code that will run on my desktop, and my pocket pc without having to change anything (sure, the file structure is different, but the rest is the same). All MS did was create a executor that will run on my pocket pc and a separate one that will run on my desktop. This is what mono is, it is an executor for linux.
Hope that this helps,
Joseph |
M36Teen
Oct 18, 2004
11:50 AM |
Wow! That's the best explanation of .NET I've ever heard! Now I get it!
Thanks Joseph,
Jake |
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