kingppin

First let me say that im new to this forum. And if i fail to do or say something within the parameters of the forum, let me go ahead and apoligize before hand.

I would say that im fairly capable with with windows xp pro, and anything relating to microsoft and its programs. So now i have decided to take it to the next step and learn how to program. However, i have no background experience with computer science or programing skills of any kind. so far i have been told to start with learning computer langauges and installing linux onto my computer. i have read through some of the posts; and i think that some one said that python is the best computer language to learn from. Where do i go to learn this stuff and where do i go to get started? Any insight to help me along on my way would be really cool.

your inquiring newbie
kingppin.

PsYcHoLoGiCaL

Learn html then give php a shot, that stuff is easy to learn and is fun to mess around with. Once you get good with that you could always try c or c++. Web development is easy too learn and is pretty fun, which is why I recomend that you start there.

__________________
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." -- Thomas A. Edison

BloodNOil

If you learn a procedural language (like C or C++) as opposed to a formatting
language (HTML), do NOT use Microsoft Visual Studio. It will corrupt your
mind and make it VERY hard to program for GCC, which is the most compliant
compiler with the C++ standard.

Learn the standard first with maybe Dev-C++ (a port of GCC for windows) and
then if you HAVE to use Microsoft, you can do that with a 10 foot
pole, and remember that you're better than that and you're only doing it for
money/sex/drugs/whatever.

__________________
It's like a koala bear crapped a rainbow in my brain!!

imported_Rugbee

Here is a good website to go if you want to learn HTML
They have free tutorials and easy learn step-by-step instructions; you will master HTML in no time. Did you’re computer come with a HTML editor such as Microsoft Front Page? If not you might want to Down Load One this way you can test the pages you Wright.
If you plan on installing Linux on a windows, operating system, such as Duel-Booting, be careful Windows and Linux do not get along to well and could possibly fry you’re hard drive. If you want to install Linux, I’d suggest doing so on a cheap computer (and good luck finding drivers that are compatible with Linux odds are you wont, and will just be wasting you’re time.) IMO you would be better of sticking with Microsoft XP, then when you get more experienced try Linux. Good luck, and welcome to the 420 Lounge.

theDeBaucher(Y)

personally id start with c or c++ (my c++ teach your self book says its better to learn ++ first becuase a lot of c code is used and a lot of it is obsolete) then id move on to html, java, php,

i always prefered doin teh harder part first then let it get easier as you go along!.

also as my senior english teacher put it "im the laziest person in the world, thats why i do stuff right the first time".

BloodNOil

Rugbee seems to have a swayed opinion of Linux.

Possibly because he doesn't like to take advice... anyways, don't let horror
stories get to you... I've never lost data in a partition operation, and my
Windows system doesn't even know Linux exists.

DO go into Linux with an open mind.

DO spend at least 24 hours (not just until tomorrow, but 24 hours of work)
configuring and exploring Linux.

DO ask Linux geeks questions. Good places to ask are in the "Techy Stuff"
forum, which you've already discovered, or on IRC. There's an IRC guide
around here somewhere, but I'm too lazy to find it right now. Linux geeks
hang out in the Linux help channels (Too lazy to find those right now too) for
the sole reason of helping people out.

DO listen to Linux geeks. They know what they're doing. They get mad if
you ask the same question twice without trying the solution they gave you.

DO try different distributions (flavors) of Linux. If you don't like one, wipe it
and try another.

DO NOT expect everything to work the first time. It simply won't. Linux is
not ready for the typical point-and-click end user. It will be soon, but it's still
a work in progress.

DO NOT be afraid to go digging in the guts of Linux. That's what they're for.

kingppin

Thanks to everyone for all the advice, this is truly a great forum.

I have already started looking in to some of html, and i plan to head out to library tomorrow to get some books on the programing languages. Does any one have websites of your own to help give me an idea on the set up and design of the html format?......and I know that this might sound alittle stupid. But when designing these pages.....what inspiration do you have for the content. Im sure that know wants to know about me and my exploits from day to day. What do you rest of you put on your sites to make them interesting to the general public?

thanks again.
kingppin

BloodNOil

That's why I don't do webpages much... I got no inspiration.

EDIT (forgot to post this part): Most linux applications are ported to Windows. If you're going to switch, learn as many of the applicaions you'll be
using with windows before you make the switch. Examples: vi, emacs, GCC,
OpenOffice (maybe)

For more applications, check out the distribution you'll be trying first.

PsYcHoLoGiCaL

Here is a badass resource for learning several different programming languages as well as other things, its basically just one big collection of books that have been digitalized http://www.soldierx.com/books/books.html.

Edwards

On that note, I highly recommend trying KNOPPIX first. It boots from a CD and only accesses the hard drive in read-only mode, unless you specifically make it remount in read/write mode. If you mess anything up, you can just reboot and it'll be back to normal.