Saying Hello! A C & C++ newbie & a former Pascal learner!

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to say Hello!

My computer programming journey first started back in the late 90's when I studied Pascal for a year in sixth form, I dabbled with a little BASIC on an old ZX Spectrum (which was pretty much copying code from a book). I later learnt some HTML to customise my MySpace page in the late 2000's, and can create some basic HTML pages. A few years ago I completed a short web design course where I created a whole website using Kompozer to generate code and create table based web pages.


My parents old ZX Spectrum died years ago, I was looking around the internet at some for sale now and feeling nostalgic, wondered if I could still do some programming on my modern Windows 7 computer. That's when I stumbled across this site, and now I'm thinking about learning some C or C++ programming.

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to say Hello!

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Hi!

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

and now I'm thinking about learning some C or C++ programming.

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Learning C or C++ to any capable degree is a pretty difficult undertaking, at least for hobby. But you're certainly on the right Internet to do so.

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

modern Windows

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Windows == modern

Hi Yarin, Pleased to meet you! :)

I meant my Windows 7 is much more modern than a ZX Spectrum!

I've never tried learning C or C++ before, are they much more difficult to learn than Pascal or BASIC?

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

Hi Yarin, Pleased to meet you! :)

I meant my Windows 7 is much more modern than a ZX Spectrum!

I've never tried learning C or C++ before, are they much more difficult to learn than Pascal or BASIC?

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Not sure. But it all depends on how much you want to learn. If you're really into C/C++, it probably won't be all that hard.

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

I meant my Windows 7 is much more modern than a ZX Spectrum!

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You sure about that?

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

I've never tried learning C or C++ before, are they much more difficult to learn than Pascal or BASIC?

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They're certainly harder than Pascal and BASIC, but if you have prior programming experience (and you know what a pointer is) it should be pretty easy.

If you get a ZX, get some footage of some of the games for YouTube. Love those chiptunes.

Hi, welcome to the forums! I'm new to programming also, and I chose to go with C++ as my introductory language. The tutorials on this website got me started, but I've also purchased a few books that have helped out a lot.

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Originally Posted by Yarin

They're certainly harder than Pascal and BASIC, but if you have prior programming experience (and you know what a pointer is) it should be pretty easy.

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Thanks Yarin, looks like I have a challenge on my hands! I have done some programming before, I remember doing loops and if then statements in Pascal, although I am very rusty now! Hopefully that will help me a little.

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Originally Posted by Epy

If you get a ZX, get some footage of some of the games for YouTube. Love those chiptunes.

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Epy, I love watching the ZX games on Youtube, that's what got me feeling nostalgic in the first place. I know it's sad, but I love seeing the old loading screens with the screeching lines loading in!

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Originally Posted by setleaf

Hi, welcome to the forums! I'm new to programming also, and I chose to go with C++ as my introductory language. The tutorials on this website got me started, but I've also purchased a few books that have helped out a lot.

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Hi Setleaf, and thank you! I am planning to use the tutorials on this site at first, I have downloaded CodeBlocks and managed to run the basic program already on it - and it worked! :)

I'm looking forward to learning more!

This might interest you?

There's another good link here I think.

One of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh8c06ETMmw

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to say Hello!

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Hi!

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Originally Posted by Spectra ZX

My parents old ZX Spectrum died years ago, I was looking around the internet at some for sale now and feeling nostalgic, wondered if I could still do some programming on my modern Windows 7 computer.

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C and C++ are great fun languages to learn. They are also very idiomatic in the sense that decades of programming left behind a huge body of best practices. Choose only one of them to learn now and I urge you to not rush it. The experience any of these languages will give you in terms of code correctness will be invaluable for any other language you choose in the future. These boards are rich with highly experienced C and C++ programmers that nicely, or in not so nicely terms, will let you know every time you screw it up. Not just bugs, but how to best make use of the programming language. Hear their advise.

As for ZX Spectrum, you and I share both a passion. I'm here to let you know you can still code for the ZX Spectrum. The largest online still active community is at World of Spectrum. In there you will find active forums, but most importantly all sorts of ZX Spectrum emulators, ZX Spectrum games that you can run on those emulators (many of which games we all know well from companies that graciously allowed their free distribution) and all sorts of material that can teach you how to program the ZX80 processor and make your own programs and games, just like they used to be made back in the 80s and 90s.

I've been coding the Z80 for the past 6 years. The assembly is relatively easy and straightforward. There's plenty of IDEs and development tools for it. It's actually very fun to see your own code run on an ZX Spectrum emulator. I or any of the other members will be happy to answer your questions on the forums there.