Programming Forums > Application Development > C

Arevos · Dec 6th, 2006, 3:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bl00dninja

forget the "switch to python or ruby!!!" crap too. you made a good decision based on good advice. just keep doing what you're doing.

That's rather a bit of flamebait you have there. You might have put it a little more tactfully. I, like m0rb1d, started off on QBASIC and moved onto C. In my experience, I know I would have done better moving to Python or Perl before C, so I'm not sure why pointing that out counts as "crap", because in my case, it's perfectly true. I wasn't offering advice per se, I was merely recounting my own personal experience on the matter, since the languages myself and m0rb1d learnt are virtually identical, in case it proved of use.

bl00dninja · Dec 7th, 2006, 2:12 AM

i wasn't discounting the wonderful abilities of these languages. i was suggesting that the OP continue learning on a fairly flexible platform for which there is copious documentation. python and ruby aren't crap, possibly suggesting the OP sum up all of their efforts to date as a cart of dung and start from square one with something else probably is.

hell, i started from javascript (hangs head in shame)

Arevos · Dec 7th, 2006, 3:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bl00dninja

python and ruby aren't crap, possibly suggesting the OP sum up all of their efforts to date as a cart of dung and start from square one with something else probably is.

I hate to move even further off-topic, but I'm not suggesting m0rb1d do that, per se. I'm simply saying that when I started learning C, I would have been better off switching to another language. Whether that's relevant or not is up to m0rb1d to decide, and he seems to be having an easier time with C than I did. I tend to prefer extremely expressive languages, where I can program a large amount of functionality in a very little space, which may explain why I'm more attracted to languages like Python, Ruby and Haskell. m0rb1d may be less interested in results and more interested in solving problems, in which case, sticking with C may be the best thing.

As for Javascript; I've been using it a lot recently, and it's surprisingly flexible, supporting higher level functions, class prototyping, dynamically modifiable objects, and a whole lot of other nice things. Whilst slow, it does boast more flexibility than a great many other languages, including C and Java.

edit *coughs* Just realised how off-topic this actually is. Okay, I'm outta this thread

m0rb1d · Dec 7th, 2006, 6:48 AM

The whole intent behind my learning a programming language is because I go back to college in Spring, and, would prefer to be "refreshing" my skills, than to be in the same boat as most of the class. Last time I looked, I will end up taking 3 programming classes throughout the course, javascript, VB script ( it's what the program says ), and finally C.

After making attempts in the past to learn C, I can unashamedly admit that it is beyond my grasp without someone to explain alot of things to me. I would rank it up there with trying to learn a foreign language on your own. So, having said that, I was making an attempt to transition myself into C, hence starting with QBasic earlier. However, someone pointed out that QBasic and C are rather differen't, which is true.

I appreciate the help given here, but I am beginning to think I will not fully grasp the language until I am in the actual classroom setting.

Arevos · Dec 7th, 2006, 10:10 AM

I said I was out of this thread, but I guess I'm a liar :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by m0rb1d

After making attempts in the past to learn C, I can unashamedly admit that it is beyond my grasp without someone to explain alot of things to me.

It was beyond my grasp too, and when I started learning C, I already had a rather good grasp of QBASIC. I think the problem is that C has a rather steep learning curve; without someone to push you along, or without the weight of some experience behind you, learning C is a difficult business.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m0rb1d

So, having said that, I was making an attempt to transition myself into C, hence starting with QBasic earlier.

I think this is a good idea, and a decade ago this would have been a very good choice; QBASIC has a rather shallow learning curve, and many programmers have cut their teeth on the language.

But QBASIC is showing it's age, and it's methodology is starting to seem a little archaic. This is why you'll find people advocating Python, as it has a similar shallow learning curve, but is more relevant to modern programming.

For instance, in QBASIC, you might write:

(Toggle Plain Text)

INPUT "Enter a whole number:"; n%
PRINT "Your number squared is:"; square%(n%)

FUNCTION square%(x%)
    square% = x% * x%
END FUNCTION

Whilst in Python, you might write:

(Toggle Plain Text)

n = int(raw_input("Enter a whole number: "))
print "Your number squared is:", square(n)

def square(x):
    return x * x

For comparison, here's Ruby:

(Toggle Plain Text)

puts "Enter a whole number: "
n = gets.to_i
puts "Your number squared is: " + square(n)

def square(x)
    x * x
end

But in C, you generally have more fixed overhead. In order to understand what the code below does, you need a grasp of header files, functions, static typing, passing by reference, and the format strings of printf and scanf. Whilst Python and Ruby have similarly advanced concepts, their learning curve is far shallower; you can code simple programs with very little language overhead.

(Toggle Plain Text)

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int n;

    printf("Enter a whole number: ");
    scanf("%d", &n);
    printf("Your number squared is: %d", square(n));

    return 0;
}

int square(int x) {
    return x * x;
}

bl00dninja · Dec 20th, 2006, 12:39 AM

out of curiosity, what is your major? info systems?

that course track seems to imply web design.

Dec 7th, 2006, 2:12 AM	#22
bl00dninja Programming Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: namespace std Posts: 1,246 Rep Power: 5	i wasn't discounting the wonderful abilities of these languages. i was suggesting that the OP continue learning on a fairly flexible platform for which there is copious documentation. python and ruby aren't crap, possibly suggesting the OP sum up all of their efforts to date as a cart of dung and start from square one with something else probably is. hell, i started from javascript (hangs head in shame) __________________ i put on my robe and wizard hat... Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?...Morons.

Dec 20th, 2006, 12:39 AM	#26
bl00dninja Programming Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: namespace std Posts: 1,246 Rep Power: 5	out of curiosity, what is your major? info systems? that course track seems to imply web design. __________________ i put on my robe and wizard hat... Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?...Morons.

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Dec 7th, 2006, 6:48 AM	#24
m0rb1d Newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 19 Rep Power: 0	The whole intent behind my learning a programming language is because I go back to college in Spring, and, would prefer to be "refreshing" my skills, than to be in the same boat as most of the class. Last time I looked, I will end up taking 3 programming classes throughout the course, javascript, VB script ( it's what the program says ), and finally C. After making attempts in the past to learn C, I can unashamedly admit that it is beyond my grasp without someone to explain alot of things to me. I would rank it up there with trying to learn a foreign language on your own. So, having said that, I was making an attempt to transition myself into C, hence starting with QBasic earlier. However, someone pointed out that QBasic and C are rather differen't, which is true. I appreciate the help given here, but I am beginning to think I will not fully grasp the language until I am in the actual classroom setting.

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Programming Forums > Application Development > C

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