Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

Mudanie · Oct 23rd, 2005, 7:00 PM

Hi all, I'm new here and have absolutely no experience programming. I figured to give python a try. I bought "Learning Python" from the O'Reilly series and find it rather confusing. I've been also reading/working through some online tutorials.

Everything I've been reading seems incoherant and doesn't seem to make too much sense. I'm going to college late in the game (I'm 26 now), and going for computer science. I figure why waste more time, why not learn as much as I can even outside of classes.

Basically, is it expected that I catch on to this quickly or do I have ADD? lol, thanks for any responses.

tempest · Oct 23rd, 2005, 7:04 PM

Why are you going to college for a major you seem drastically unknowing as to the realities of it? Best of luck to you.

You aren't supposed to get everything at once, programming tutorials are notoriously categoried for quality on the premis of ones that explain more of the little details one shouldn't be expected to know and those that don't.

If you don't understand some parts of the tutorials, i have some things first to let you know: You aren't expected to, but also that this is going to be a hard path in front of you. But if you want to learn programming, post all of the questions and things you can't understand on this board and we'll try and help you as best as we can.

Mudanie · Oct 23rd, 2005, 7:46 PM

Thanks for the reply! I've been into computers since 1990ish...in the BBS and 1400 baud modem era. I can't believe I haven't attempted to learn this stuff until now.

I was just a little concerned since I'm not catching on as quick as I had expected (via "Learning Python" and various tutorials). A little trouble won't stop me, just wanted to know what to expect.

Silvanus · Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:00 PM

CS is available as a college major; it's not flower arranging. There is a whole lot to learn, and all of it requires thought. Just because you don't grok it all instantly doesn't mean you're disabled; if you did, I'd call you a genius.

Nebula · Oct 24th, 2005, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Hi all, I'm new here and have absolutely no experience programming. I figured to give python a try. I bought "Learning Python" from the O'Reilly series and find it rather confusing. I've been also reading/working through some online tutorials.

Everything I've been reading seems incoherant and doesn't seem to make too much sense. I'm going to college late in the game (I'm 26 now), and going for computer science. I figure why waste more time, why not learn as much as I can even outside of classes.

I am only 14 now and i have an understanding of programming. I'm not meaning to brag but simply to state that you can be 14 or you can be 26 and you will still have trouble. Now i cant program a large program(for that matter a small one) but thats not my point. My advice to you use, be around the code, go to any site, post in any forum, do anything that lets you be around the code. Even if you only look over the code, just visualize it and recognize it. I have 2 C books that i am currently reading, now i havnt learned much from them but it has got me fimilar with the langauge. Trust me, if you see the code enough it will just click soon enough. you will start out small then it will just be like speaking english.

Quote:

Basically, is it expected that I catch on to this quickly or do I have ADD? lol, thanks for any responses.

NO! The first time i looked at some source code online i would ahve sworn it was martion of something of that sort. Trust me, if you really try and are confident in yourself then it will just click one day.

I would reccomend that you start out with Python, but thats just me. I found the code to be slightly similar with BASIC.( a very easy programming language) If you already have a sense for programming, then i would suggest C because if you can code in C then any other language will come easy. I must warn you, C is difficult but that reward is great. If you really want to start out small, i dont reccomend it but if you choose you can start with BASIC. Its really easy on beginners though it has very few fundimentals of programming languages similar to C or Java. BASIC also has alot of limitations that will stop you from doing curtain things that you will want to do. So think about it.

Arevos · Oct 24th, 2005, 1:52 AM

Could you give us an example of what you find difficult, Mudanie? Have you tried looking at this python tutorial?

Mudanie · Oct 24th, 2005, 1:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvanus

CS is available as a college major; it's not flower arranging. There is a whole lot to learn, and all of it requires thought. Just because you don't grok it all instantly doesn't mean you're disabled; if you did, I'd call you a genius.

Actually I planned on a double major in CS/Flower Arranging

Thanks for the answers I was hoping for guys...was starting to worry that I had a bad case of ADD and didn't know it haha.

coldDeath · Oct 24th, 2005, 2:53 AM

As people say, you're not going to understand everything straight off, but once you learn how to structure a program and how different elements of the program work, you should find larning other langugaes easy, as you only have to learn the syntax (not in all cases though).

If you go to the python website and look for the python tutorial it is really good. I haven't read it but there is a non programmers tutorial aswell.

If you get fustrated with something, leave it, come back the next day, ask on the forums and you will probably (hopefully) get a clear answer.

But python is great. You could also try C++, but people say that python is easier to learn for the beginner. I think one thing that puts people off C++ is "hello world".

C++

(Toggle Plain Text)

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
cout<<"Hello World"<<endl;
cin.get();
return 0;
}

Python

(Toggle Plain Text)

 print "hello world"

Well its up to you to choose.

Nebula · Oct 24th, 2005, 10:26 AM

This is a bit advanced for beginners but i found it useful when i first started programming.

Python Tutorial

Dietrich · Oct 24th, 2005, 6:17 PM

The first thing you have to learn is that the typical college teaching staff has been inflicting pain on students with C++ or java for many years. Their fun, your pain!

Your problem will be to find a college modern (un-stale) enough to think students should have fun programming and use something like high level Python to do so.

Oct 23rd, 2005, 7:00 PM	#1
Mudanie Newbie Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Total noob, trouble expected? Hi all, I'm new here and have absolutely no experience programming. I figured to give python a try. I bought "Learning Python" from the O'Reilly series and find it rather confusing. I've been also reading/working through some online tutorials. Everything I've been reading seems incoherant and doesn't seem to make too much sense. I'm going to college late in the game (I'm 26 now), and going for computer science. I figure why waste more time, why not learn as much as I can even outside of classes. Basically, is it expected that I catch on to this quickly or do I have ADD? lol, thanks for any responses.

Oct 23rd, 2005, 7:04 PM	#2
tempest Programming Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,041 Rep Power: 5	Why are you going to college for a major you seem drastically unknowing as to the realities of it? Best of luck to you. You aren't supposed to get everything at once, programming tutorials are notoriously categoried for quality on the premis of ones that explain more of the little details one shouldn't be expected to know and those that don't. If you don't understand some parts of the tutorials, i have some things first to let you know: You aren't expected to, but also that this is going to be a hard path in front of you. But if you want to learn programming, post all of the questions and things you can't understand on this board and we'll try and help you as best as we can. __________________

Oct 24th, 2005, 2:53 AM	#8
coldDeath Expert Programmer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 862 Rep Power: 3	As people say, you're not going to understand everything straight off, but once you learn how to structure a program and how different elements of the program work, you should find larning other langugaes easy, as you only have to learn the syntax (not in all cases though). If you go to the python website and look for the python tutorial it is really good. I haven't read it but there is a non programmers tutorial aswell. If you get fustrated with something, leave it, come back the next day, ask on the forums and you will probably (hopefully) get a clear answer. But python is great. You could also try C++, but people say that python is easier to learn for the beginner. I think one thing that puts people off C++ is "hello world". C++ (Toggle Plain Text) #include <iostream> using namespace std; int main() { cout<<"Hello World"<<endl; cin.get(); return 0; } #include <iostream> using namespace std; int main() { cout<<"Hello World"<<endl; cin.get(); return 0; } Python (Toggle Plain Text) print "hello world" print "hello world" Well its up to you to choose. __________________ Programming Tutorials - Linux Installation Guide - Learn Python - Learn C++ Got Slack? Join us at #programmingforums @ irc.freenode.net! My software never has bugs. It just develops random features.

Oct 24th, 2005, 10:26 AM	#9
Nebula Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 193 Rep Power: 3	This is a bit advanced for beginners but i found it useful when i first started programming. Python Tutorial __________________ When will Jesus bring the porkchops?

Oct 24th, 2005, 6:17 PM	#10
Dietrich Professional Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 434 Rep Power: 4	The first thing you have to learn is that the typical college teaching staff has been inflicting pain on students with C++ or java for many years. Their fun, your pain! Your problem will be to find a college modern (un-stale) enough to think students should have fun programming and use something like high level Python to do so. __________________ I looked it up on the Intergnats!

Oct 23rd, 2005, 7:46 PM	#3
Mudanie Newbie Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for the reply! I've been into computers since 1990ish...in the BBS and 1400 baud modem era. I can't believe I haven't attempted to learn this stuff until now. I was just a little concerned since I'm not catching on as quick as I had expected (via "Learning Python" and various tutorials). A little trouble won't stop me, just wanted to know what to expect.

Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:00 PM	#4
Silvanus Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hiding from... them... Posts: 110 Rep Power: 3	CS is available as a college major; it's not flower arranging. There is a whole lot to learn, and all of it requires thought. Just because you don't grok it all instantly doesn't mean you're disabled; if you did, I'd call you a genius.

Oct 24th, 2005, 1:52 AM	#6
Arevos Programming Guru Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England Posts: 1,499 Rep Power: 4	Could you give us an example of what you find difficult, Mudanie? Have you tried looking at this python tutorial?

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Programming Forums > Script Programming > Python

Total noob, trouble expected?