Call me old fashioned, but I still believe that just getting a book, sitting down, and getting to work is one of the best ways to learn a new language... It's worked for me in the past many times.
I disagree. Not because I think books on the subject are bad. Quite the opposite in fact: The Pragmatic Programmer - Get it, if you haven't yet.
I kind of take issue with the nature of your answer.
What I mean is that the post talks about "resources to help learn computer programming" and you replied with how to learn a new language. This isn't the same thing.
I bring it up because (especially newbies) tend to not understand that. They often ask questions like "I want to learn programming. What language should I learn?" which is the wrong way to approach this, if you're asking me.
Unless you want to become a code monkey whose only job it is to implement code, that has been given to him in form of various diagrams, you're going to need to do a whole lot more than simply learning a programming language.
To me, being a developer primarily means having a very specific way of thinking and approaching problems. Being able to solve unsolvable problems, by abstracting and breaking them down into smaller, solvable ones.
Don't learn programming languages, learn programming. The language is merely a tool.
I completely agree with you. I just think that the exercises in books to help you learn programming are usually (if you get a high quality book :P) better than the ones on free websites. However, this is just my opinion formed from my own experiences with both media.
That said, I think online resources do have their place in learning. Take the Euler project for example. I cannot recommend it highly enough for exercising your brain in the right way. Also, online resources do help people, usually noobies, to stay interested if they don't have the dedication yet.
14 comments
3 u/ALL_ABORED 29 Jun 2015 18:21
Call me old fashioned, but I still believe that just getting a book, sitting down, and getting to work is one of the best ways to learn a new language... It's worked for me in the past many times.
1 u/TheSniperFan 02 Jul 2015 00:47
I disagree. Not because I think books on the subject are bad. Quite the opposite in fact: The Pragmatic Programmer - Get it, if you haven't yet.
I kind of take issue with the nature of your answer.
What I mean is that the post talks about "resources to help learn computer programming" and you replied with how to learn a new language. This isn't the same thing.
I bring it up because (especially newbies) tend to not understand that. They often ask questions like "I want to learn programming. What language should I learn?" which is the wrong way to approach this, if you're asking me.
Unless you want to become a code monkey whose only job it is to implement code, that has been given to him in form of various diagrams, you're going to need to do a whole lot more than simply learning a programming language.
To me, being a developer primarily means having a very specific way of thinking and approaching problems. Being able to solve unsolvable problems, by abstracting and breaking them down into smaller, solvable ones.
Don't learn programming languages, learn programming. The language is merely a tool.
1 u/ALL_ABORED 02 Jul 2015 03:09
I completely agree with you. I just think that the exercises in books to help you learn programming are usually (if you get a high quality book :P) better than the ones on free websites. However, this is just my opinion formed from my own experiences with both media.
That said, I think online resources do have their place in learning. Take the Euler project for example. I cannot recommend it highly enough for exercising your brain in the right way. Also, online resources do help people, usually noobies, to stay interested if they don't have the dedication yet.
0 u/TheSniperFan 02 Jul 2015 11:34
That's something I can fully agree with.
2 u/CorporalClegg 30 Jun 2015 08:40
reminds me of tblop
3 u/SemiNormal 30 Jun 2015 15:54
What's that?
shhh... the wife is watching, I know what it is.
0 u/bigbeats [OP] 08 Jul 2015 16:10
lol
1 u/t-freakin-mesis 02 Jul 2015 01:47
Wow, this is a great compilation. Thank you!
0 u/bigbeats [OP] 07 Jul 2015 15:42
my pleasure :)
0 u/wittyreference 30 Jun 2015 20:14
Thanks for this!
0 u/Silver_Tube 26 Sep 2015 08:57
I'm a fan of zed's various "Learn X the hard way" books and courses. That and his general style and attitude about the whole thing.