CodeCall Recommendations Thread

- Introduction -

Many who come here find themselves asking the same question any other inspired coder / designer is asking. The famous, "What shall I learn first?" or "What should I start with?" and another good one, "Why am I here?". If these are the questions you are asking. Then your in the right place.

I should start by pointing out that this is not a source of links that will give you 100s of guides that will teach you how to code in your new language. But, it can help you get started with your new coding language and save you the time and trouble trying to figure what you should do first. With that out of the way lets get to learning shall we?

Take a moment to read through all of the recommendations and pointers I hand out to all of you new members out there. Enjoy and as always I hope you have the best of luck learning your new coding language and Welcome to CodeCall!

- Programming Recommendations -

Money Required:

The first thing I would recommend with any programming language if you are hoping to get a very good understanding of the language. Is to go to your local book store and ask for the latest C# or computer programming books. Find a basic book Preferably one with a CD in the back containing a compiler in-case you do not have one of your own. Read through the book until you have a pretty solid understanding of the basics and then start coding some basic programs of your own. Once you get the hang of it and have enough confidence to open up the program and make a simple, "Guess the number" game without having to look back in the book for pointers then you should be able to start reading some good quality tutorials here on CodeCall and asking somewhat intelligent questions. From there you can put yourself to the test by gathering some advanced books and reading more complex tutorials until you decide you have learned as much as you can or want learn of the language. Or you can take your basic knowledge and use it to help you in another language you are trying to learn.

No Money Required:

Of course you do not have to go to a book store and pay for a programming book. But, if you can afford it I highly recommend doing this. It can be very useful and in many ways faster then searching for online guides or free book downloads that can sometimes take hours to find depending on the type of book you are looking for. So, if you are capable of buying a book at your local book store please scroll up to the, "Money Required" section.

Alright, so you can't afford any books or choose not to buy one and you want to learn a programming language. Well don't lose hope just yet. Buying books and paying for programming classes is not the only way to learn a language. Although they are the most effective way of learning they certainly are not the only way. So, lets take a look at you options here and ask ourselves a few questions.

Have you browsed your search engine for any free programming books / guides that are available for viewing or downloading?

Yes? Good. What you should do now is read into that guide / book for a bit while constantly searching codecall for basic guides that teach you the very basic fundamentals of your programming language.

No? You should start by doing this right now or after reading this thread. Because believe it or not there is a lot of information on the web and you would be crazy not to try and steal some of this free information. So go ahead and open up a new window and start searching. Once you find one continue on with the thread.

Do you have any friends that are into computers or programming that you think might be able to help you learn your new language?

Yes? If you do then you are pretty lucky. Having somebody to explain things that may sound a little confusing at first is a very helpful. Especially if you are the type of person who gets confused quickly.

No? If not try looking for an online coding buddy. Somebody that you can chat with when you are feeling confused or need some more coding advice. My online buddy was Steve. A codecall member here who has helped me a great deal when I was a new coder.

Have you tried older or more basic programming languages?

Yes? If you have tried and older programming language like python for example and have used the experience to help you learn your new language. Then you should gather all of the information you have taken in and review it. Once you have done that you should start learning the syntax of your new programming language and be on your way to becoming a successful programmer.

No? You should definitely start with an older programming language or something more basic if you have never coded before. It helps you in many ways. One by giving you a small understanding of what coding is like and how it works, and two by getting you on a schedule or process that teaches you how to learn every new language you will try to learn.

Well, that pretty much sums up everything. I hope this thread gave you the information you needed and I hope you will succeed in your aspiration. If there are any other languages / programs you think I might be missing please be sure to give me a shout via PM. I will gladly put it up there if I feel the need for it.

- Special Thanks and Credits -

Special thanks to CodeCall and all of the members who write tutorials and spend there time helping other inspired coders get on the right track. Special thanks to Jordan and his staff for creating and maintaining a wonderful coding forum, blog, and well established community. Special thanks to Steve who has helped me greatly in getting to where I am now in the coding world.

Credits:

Donovan: Author
Knowledge Base and Sources: Fluent C++, Visual Basic, Python, Coder and maya 8.5 / maya 3ds Max Graphic Designer.