Programming Forums - Suggestions...

Well... As you all know I'm just a n00b here, and know next-to-nothing of programming. But I am learning, and I do know it can get frustrating not to have any ideas to practice what you're learning.

So I'll give a couple of ideas in no pariticular order, that you can do with help of others. I don't think they are too hard so it's a good starting point.

a) Simple console IM program. This is not an MSN. A person would just be asked for a screen name, and then the IP of the other client. The program would establish the connection and swap messages. A bit in the style of the first matrix. Remember? Later you could do the same thing but with a pretty GUI. And port the program to linux from windows.

b) Tic-Tac-Toe. This is self explanatory, right? First make a console version, then a graphical one. The swap it between OSs.

c) Text-Adventure Game. Remember the old text-adventures? It could be a nice idea to make one, hey? It can't be that hard. First in console, then in a window. Make it for diferent OSs. Later down the road, maybe you could do the sequel but this time using more advanced stuff.

d) ASCII stuff. This is more console oriented, but maybe it would be nice to make some simple ASCII animations... It shouldn't be too hard. Maybe just a bit of hardwork... Also include ASCII boxes for all of your console projects.

e) Simple Notepad. Just a notepad where you could load and save text-files. Maybe include some nice features. First maybe in a console, then in a window, later in another OS...

f) Media Player. I recon this should be a bit tricky, but a simple program that loads a sound file and stops it could be a nice thing to teach how to use sound-related libraries.

g) Html editor. Do a simple html editor that bolds texts and stuff like that. It should be simple since all you have to do is to add the <b> </b> tags along the text. Use a couple of buttons and stuff like that...

h) Do joke-programs. Those annoying programs that move the mouse crusor, or open the cd-rom drive. They're stupid but are nice to screw with a friend and show-off your programming genius.

i) Redneck translator. Once I saw a website (can't remember the URL though... :() that translated plain english with redneck english. It would just search for keywords for the redneck version. EG: "cool" for "kewl". I dunno... I'm not english so I don't know much about redneck english.

j) Make a 1337 translator. Ok... I think 1337 is stupid childish and annoying, but still you would be the envy of your CS buddies.

k) decimal-hexadecimal-octan converter. A program that would convert 17 (decimal) to 0x11 (hexadecimal) or 021 (octal).

l) ASCII character helper. Today I've done a couple of simple programs using ASCII code (for drawing boxes on console applications). It would be a lot easier to have a program that would simplify this process. Imagine a index of charachters. Instead of "xE7" there would be an index where "xE7" would be (for example) 2. instead of having to type a series of \xE7\xE7\xE7 (on C++) I would just type 222, then the program would output the could and I could just copy it and paste it into the source code.

m) random message generator. A bit like a fortune cookie on your desktop.

n) a analog clock. Can you use ASCII to make a console clock?

Oh well... These are just a couple of tips to help everyone get unstuck and start a project. Since I don't know much about programming I can't really sort this by dificulty.

I hope someone finds this usefull and not just stupid. I gave a bit of my imagination to this... :p ;)

Cheers and good luck!

Ps.: If anyone has good ideas post them here. Otherwise just post comments... those are always welcome! :D :p

EDIT: Use ASCII to make nice boxes for the console programs and make them for linux and windows, since that will make you learn how things work on both sides. But make things the pretty way... "pretty" usually gives a lot of work and tends to be a good learning experience.