Ugh.

Validinfection · 10-30-2007, 07:55 PM

I'm new to programming. Just did Three Tutorials... They took awhile to comprehend. Like I think almost two hours?.. Is that too long?... I mean.. I know how to make two basic programs. Yet I feel I'm learning this all too slowly.

Or is it normal to comprehend programming slow at first? ._. My self-esteem is low when it comes to this stuff ugh.

A10 · 10-30-2007, 09:32 PM

That depends. Is c++ going to be your first programming language? If it is then 2 hours is about right to start to under stand it. The complex syntax of c++ will take you a long while to learn. You won't get it till you finish all the tutorials here and read a book or two.

If you want to learn to program quickly, I would recommend python. It's syntax is simple and you'll learn programming concepts that will be essential in any other languages you learn after that(including c++). Plus python is powerful so after you learn it you can actually use it to accomplish stuff.

My first Language was c++. It's took me a long long long time to kind of get it. I still have trouble.

Also this needs to be moved to General Discussions

EDIT: learn to program quickly is relative to c++

plr112387 · 10-30-2007, 11:06 PM

Yeah-- I am just beginning, too.

I learned a little Java (a couple years ago) -- so I figured C++ would be a breeze. Stuff I had learned is sort of coming back to me, but I feel like my progress is really slow.

Starting out is difficult, because programming problem-solving isn't really possible without a lot of syntax knowledge.

**laserlight** · 10-30-2007, 11:27 PM

The threads have been merged.

Yarin · 10-31-2007, 12:58 PM

It took me days to fully understand a loop, and way longer to understand pointers and callbacks. I did probably take longer than normal, but hey, I doin good now.

Yarin · 10-31-2007, 01:00 PM

Well... I suppose that's a matter of opinion.

abachler · 10-31-2007, 02:15 PM

My first programming language was BASIC on an old Commodore VIC-20, wooo those were the days

I took a class on C/C++ in college and since then its all I will use. Take it easy, dont push yourself too hard. Programming is an entirely unnatural way of thinking for most people. Ive been programming in C/C++ now for just over a decade and I still learn new stuff every day. First you have to learn the tools, then you can worry about technique.

and stay away from MFC, its evil, EVIL I TELL YOU

maxorator · 10-31-2007, 04:24 PM

Hehe, I agree with abachler.

The basic stuff of C++ wasn't too difficult for me because I had already learned some web programming before that (HTML;JS;PHP). Web programming is a good start because it's easy and practical.

Good luck.

**laserlight** · 10-31-2007, 09:16 PM

A lecturer at my university recently said something to the effect of: "This topic may be difficult, but it will become easy after you know how to do it. But then everything is easy when you know how to do it."

dwks · 10-31-2007, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abachler

and stay away from MFC, its evil, EVIL I TELL YOU

Déjà vu . . . http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showp...45&postcount=4

I must say that programming, like everything, becomes easier with practice. And once you've learned a language or two, picking up others becomes so much easier. Rest assured that if you learn C or C++, you'll pick up C or C++ (whichever you didn't learn) or Java or Python or Perl in half the time you would otherwise . . .

SlyMaelstrom · 10-31-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laserlight

A lecturer at my university recently said something to the effect of: "This topic may be difficult, but it will become easy after you know how to do it. But then everything is easy when you know how to do it."

Define: "Know how to do it"

Because there is doing it and doing it successfully. I know how paint a room but it certainly isn't easy to make it look very good. All I'm saying is, some things go beyond knowledge and require skill. You can program a lot of things with knowledge, but if you want the best results, sometimes it requires more... and for some, not only is that not easy, it's near impossible.

Anyway, I don't want this post to get the OP down... you're doing fine. Honestly, I know people on this forum that I would personally consider phenomenal programmers, but for every single one of us there comes a point or a task where even the best struggle to get something done correctly. Programming is an evolving trade... we're all always learning and trying to get better.

dwks · 10-31-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Define: "Know how to do it"

Even google is stumped!

**laserlight** · 10-31-2007, 09:42 PM

Quote:

I know how paint a room but it certainly isn't easy to make it look very good.

In other words, you know how to paint a room, but you don't (yet) know how to paint it such that it looks very good.

DavidP · 10-31-2007, 11:13 PM

programming takes awhile to learn. My first language was Logo, and then Basic. C++ was my third language to learn at a young age of 14 years old.....and it confused the heck out of me at first, probably because of my age. It just takes time.

SlyMaelstrom · 11-01-2007, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laserlight

In other words, you know how to paint a room, but you don't (yet) know how to paint it such that it looks very good.

No, that's exactly my point... I know exactly how to paint a room in such a way that it can look very good... I just can't do it. I have the knowledge, I'm just not skilled in the craft. My hand is not steady enough, my eyes are not strong enough to pick up certain details... yes, I can improve that with practice, but it has nothing to do with knowledge and I'll never be as good as someone who is naturally gifted at it.

Try watching an episode of The New Yankee Workshop and then jump on some power tools and do exactly what Norm tells you to do. Tell me if your piece comes out as good as his... some things go far beyond the knowledge of how to do it and while one might argue that programming has a stronger lean towards knowledge in the knowledge/skill ratio than wood-working does... it still has a certain amount of skill that people might have difficulty learning if they can learn it at all.

Anyway, just my two cents.

10-30-2007, 07:55 PM	#1
Validinfection Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 15	Hi. I'm new to programming. Just did Three Tutorials... They took awhile to comprehend. Like I think almost two hours?.. Is that too long?... I mean.. I know how to make two basic programs. Yet I feel I'm learning this all too slowly. Or is it normal to comprehend programming slow at first? ._. My self-esteem is low when it comes to this stuff ugh.
Validinfection is offline

10-30-2007, 09:32 PM	#2
A10 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 83	That depends. Is c++ going to be your first programming language? If it is then 2 hours is about right to start to under stand it. The complex syntax of c++ will take you a long while to learn. You won't get it till you finish all the tutorials here and read a book or two. If you want to learn to program quickly, I would recommend python. It's syntax is simple and you'll learn programming concepts that will be essential in any other languages you learn after that(including c++). Plus python is powerful so after you learn it you can actually use it to accomplish stuff. My first Language was c++. It's took me a long long long time to kind of get it. I still have trouble. Also this needs to be moved to General Discussions EDIT: learn to program quickly is relative to c++ Last edited by A10; 10-30-2007 at 09:38 PM.
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10-30-2007, 11:06 PM	#3
plr112387 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Des Moines, IA (USA) Posts: 6	Yeah-- I am just beginning, too. I learned a little Java (a couple years ago) -- so I figured C++ would be a breeze. Stuff I had learned is sort of coming back to me, but I feel like my progress is really slow. Starting out is difficult, because programming problem-solving isn't really possible without a lot of syntax knowledge.
plr112387 is offline

10-30-2007, 11:27 PM	#4
laserlight C++ Witch Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 11,373	The threads have been merged. __________________ C + C++ Compiler: MinGW port of GCC Build + Version Control System: SCons + Bazaar Look up a C/C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
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10-31-2007, 12:58 PM	#5
Yarin Unregistered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 982	It took me days to fully understand a loop, and way longer to understand pointers and callbacks. I did probably take longer than normal, but hey, I doin good now. __________________ May the Source be with you.
Yarin is offline

10-31-2007, 01:00 PM	#6
Yarin Unregistered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 982	Well... I suppose that's a matter of opinion.
Yarin is offline

10-31-2007, 02:15 PM	#7
abachler Malum in se Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 3,188	My first programming language was BASIC on an old Commodore VIC-20, wooo those were the days I took a class on C/C++ in college and since then its all I will use. Take it easy, dont push yourself too hard. Programming is an entirely unnatural way of thinking for most people. Ive been programming in C/C++ now for just over a decade and I still learn new stuff every day. First you have to learn the tools, then you can worry about technique. and stay away from MFC, its evil, EVIL I TELL YOU __________________ Until you can build a working general purpose reprogrammable computer out of basic components from radio shack, you are not fit to call yourself a programmer in my presence. This is cwhizard, signing off.
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10-31-2007, 04:24 PM	#8
maxorator Reverse Engineer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 2,260	Hehe, I agree with abachler. The basic stuff of C++ wasn't too difficult for me because I had already learned some web programming before that (HTML;JS;PHP). Web programming is a good start because it's easy and practical. Good luck. __________________ The duck is irrelevant to my point.
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10-31-2007, 09:16 PM	#9
laserlight C++ Witch Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 11,373	A lecturer at my university recently said something to the effect of: "This topic may be difficult, but it will become easy after you know how to do it. But then everything is easy when you know how to do it." __________________ C + C++ Compiler: MinGW port of GCC Build + Version Control System: SCons + Bazaar Look up a C/C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
laserlight is online now

10-31-2007, 11:13 PM	#14
DavidP l'Anziano Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 2,630	programming takes awhile to learn. My first language was Logo, and then Basic. C++ was my third language to learn at a young age of 14 years old.....and it confused the heck out of me at first, probably because of my age. It just takes time. __________________ My Website "Circular logic is good because it is."
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