Where should I start with programming?

[speedstream5621]

I went to the library the other day and picked out Microsoft's book on learning VB4. I know this is old, but how much has it changed? Should I even start with VB? How about C? Next year as a sophmore I'll be taking beginner's programming in VB so I thought this might be a good way to get ahead. Having said that, am I alright with VB4 or should I go out and buy a book on VB6? Thanks.

[unclescrooge]

getting your hands on a book is a good start but it will also depend on what tools you have at home at your disposal. i'm sure if you hunt around you will be able to find a copy of vb5 or 6 in a local secondhand bookstore. your best bet is to get one of those since it'll be cheaper than the latest version in your student bookstore at a student rate.

personally, i would've started with c. from c you can understand c++, java, ms' c#, javascripting, and other languages more easily because of the similarity in their structures.

whatever you decide, i'll tell you what my old assembly instructor told us...when you program...find the answer (where you want to go first) and then write the program to get you there. you will spin your wheels and bang your head a whole lot longer if you try to find the answer while you write the program. find the answer first.

now...take this pebble from my hand young grasshopper...

[speedstream5621]

getting your hands on a book is a good start but it will also depend on what tools you have at home at your disposal. i'm sure if you hunt around you will be able to find a copy of vb5 or 6 in a local secondhand bookstore. your best bet is to get one of those since it'll be cheaper than the latest version in your student bookstore at a student rate.

The book I borrowed from the library came with the working model of VB4. I think the school gives me the stuff for free the first day of class.

I thought about getting a C book, all they had was C++.

now...take this pebble from my hand young grasshopper...

I'll be sure to do that.

[puff_1]

I'd say start with C++, it can do anything C does. Anyway, if it makes any difference that's what I've started with and that's what my University obviously feels should be your first programming course.

[ATC Man]

I agree with puff_1. C++ is the language to learn, and C++ was also the first programming course at my college. It would be well worth your time to learn it.

[Big_Mac]

I'd rather go with C than C++, just because with c++, there are a lot of things that get handed to you without ever having to earn them.

[biscuitbandit]

well i started with visual basic 5 and that's what a lot of people i know started with too, as its easy (well, sort of) and can give you a good understanding of programming.

and yes vb has changed since version 4, only in vb.net will you notice really a massive difference though i think.

[soupnazi]

I learned Pascal in high school and it's quite similar to C++. But no one uses Pascal in business; it's just an academic language.

[bocybo]

You dont neccesairily have to learn all of the object oriented programming to c++ at first, you can being with structure oriented programming like C. In my experience, once you learn c++, you can learn any other language very quickly.

[fhtb]

depends what way you find easier too. If you are approaching from a non-mathematical background, top-down (ie object oriented C++/java) would appear best, since its the way we see most things: at its most abstract we see an object, then we gradually break it down into sub-types. This is a very fundamental familarisation technique we use to understand and classify everything.

On the other hand, you may be strong in maths and be comfortable with expressions such as myarray[10] = (55*2)/22
The fundamental data structures found in programming languages all find their roots in maths, such as the array mapping refered to above.
Procedural languages such as Pascal and C have mechanisms for these structures without the Object oriented features. ie there is no object classification system in these languages.

However, since most languages nowadays tend to be object-oriented and the design process also commonly object based, I would plug for c++ or java. VB is slightly skewn towards rapid development of the program and so you miss out on important implemenation issues such as interface programming, etc.

[jimmt]

Originally posted by fhtb
depends what way you find easier too. If you are approaching from a non-mathematical background, top-down (ie object oriented C++/java) would appear best, since its the way we see most things: at its most abstract we see an object, then we gradually break it down into sub-types. This is a very fundamental familarisation technique we use to understand and classify everything.

On the other hand, you may be strong in maths and be comfortable with expressions such as myarray[10] = (55*2)/22
The fundamental data structures found in programming languages all find their roots in maths, such as the array mapping refered to above.
Procedural languages such as Pascal and C have mechanisms for these structures without the Object oriented features. ie there is no object classification system in these languages.

However, since most languages nowadays tend to be object-oriented and the design process also commonly object based, I would plug for c++ or java. VB is slightly skewn towards rapid development of the program and so you miss out on important implemenation issues such as interface programming, etc.

Even VB now, in .Net, is object based.

Personally, I reccomend learning Cobol, Pearl, or Pascal. They are easy to pick up and will train you to think logically. I would then go with C++ and Java. Once you can think logically learning to program is easy.

Jim

[leoku]

Originally posted by speedstream5621
I went to the library the other day and picked out Microsoft's book on learning VB4. I know this is old, but how much has it changed? Should I even start with VB? How about C? Next year as a sophmore I'll be taking beginner's programming in VB so I thought this might be a good way to get ahead. Having said that, am I alright with VB4 or should I go out and buy a book on VB6? Thanks.

There are going to be lots of C/C++ blahblahblah, but you are gonna jump the boat in no time if you do follow their path.

Get start with easier languae and put C++ as your optional destination. I personally have VB 6, then Python, then C then C++ but later I abandoned the use of C++ since I do not think I need to use it that often.

[Fevriul]

Start with Pascal first, its a good teaching language, with which you can learn how to create code in aproperly structured way. No memory management stuff etc, nice and easy.

Programming is about being able to think logically and being able to break down problems into smaller component parts, once you can do that easily then which language you choose to do it in is up to you. I have done all the major complied languages and most of the scripted ones, they all have their pro's and cons. all I can say to you is to try them all and use the one you feel most comfortable with.

[landmass]

At my school (University of Montana), we stick mostly to Java. Thats what we start with and most of the others classses assume this knowledge. I have also taken a C++ class and we did a class on assembly language. I feel that understanding Java, C and C++ came fairly easy. There is more to be gained knowing the theory of programming than actually knowing the language. Once you know how you want to solve a problem, its usually not that hard to figure out how to do it in a different language.

[devalt]

Why start with old technology, jump into C#.NET or VB.NET.