Hey /g/ I want to learn how to program. Is it a good idea to

Learn haskell

Language does matter, learn C++ once you learnt the logic moving to to other languages isn't hard

No. Why would you even want to program? Everything here is terrible.

>>55903069
C++ is fine.

>>55903089
Never heard of it before but I guess I could check it out

>>55903118
I'm twenty hears old and I feel like I've already wasted so much fucking time not learning anything at all. I used to watch a lot of Java tutorials back when Minecraft was out since I got so inspired by it ~6 years ago, but yeah I laid it off.

>>55903119
I'd like to create something, man. I have so many ideas, and I have no opportunities with no skills. Also at the very least, I could land a decent job.

>>55903126

>>55903069
Learn Java. C++ has ages of legacy features which will only complicate things. People can be writing in c++ but it their code can look like two different languages.

>>55903156
>At the very least, I could land a decent job.

No, you really can't. Not without getting a degree in Computer Science.

>>55903156
Create what exactly? I've never had any ideas

>>55903069
language doesnt really matter as all the common languages are similar in how you approach the problem (with the exception of functional languages).

you can start with c++ or java or c# or python or c or go or rust whatever interests you.

the important thing is to actually write some programs. doesnt matter if it is shit and pointless it trains your brain. think of it like going for a jog as a marathon runner. it isnt going to tax your body but it keeps you fitter than sitting on the sofa

>>55903182
Going to study Computer Science next year, didn't this year because I only applied to one specific school without doing much research about it.

I wouldn't be surprised if its hard to land a job even with a degree.. But hell, you have to start somewhere.

>>55903186
Thought about Games a lot lately, but the biggest problem is that I can't really draw or make music, and learning both of those things just really seems way too time consuming. I could solve this in a way by just paying freelancers.

>>55903223
Really good advice and inspiring, thank you

>>55903246
no problem. it took me years to actually realise it doesnt matter what i use. i was fucking ADHD over what language was the "best" to learn first. ended up never learning much past the basics but hey i could fizz buzz in two dozen languages!

then i thought fuck it and just sat down in intelli idea and a copy of think java and read it front to back. put everything in git locally. wrote the most boring fucking programs ever but learnt a fuck load. simple things like how do you reverse a string manually? open a file, manually read in each char/line and replace every e with a 3 etc to make a gay leet speak converter. shitty backup tool. all just pointless shit. i just took every retarded idea and turned it into a program. ended up with 130 or so shit programs but learnt fuck loads. ended up putting some bits on github after i cleaned them up. applied for some jobs and pointed them at the github, some idiot gave me a job after i somehow managed to not fuck up an interview. now i earn an average salary (£33k) in just outside of west london (surrey). i work in a nice clean office with unlimited tea, coffee and fruit/biscuits with a nice little macbook pro connected to a decent 27" monitor and write up whatever the business needs in mostly java and python.

>>55903376
fuck man this is some real inspiring shit, didn't you even go to college (or equivalent in Britain)?

C++ has been deprecated by HolyC, enjoy learning obsolete technologies, indian.

>>55903069
I had c++ as my first language. Took some time, but not impossible. Start with c++98 then look into more modern versions.

>>55903401
nope. i left school at 16 and had a shitty job at dixon's which is like walmart or whatever. then i was stupid and got my gf pregnant at 17 so was a dad at 18. ended up with a QA job for years. i thought i was "good at computers" as i could install gentoo stage1 back in the 00s. god i was a fucking idiot though. just because i could set some CFLAGS and compile stuff didnt mean shit. i riced my desktop. i learnt dwm and i3wm and other tiling window managers. all was such a fucking waste though. what i really needed to do was just sit down and spend a couple of hours in the evenings learning one thing. just one. not learning a dozen things at a basic level. but one thing at a more than basic level. sure java isnt all that "fun" (actually it can be, javafx is pretty fun imho, you can make shit all fancy with animations so easily) but the reality is if you want to get a job and not be some ricing loser you need to do the boring stuff as well. I thought I should be some super C coding guru but the reality is i never have to use C. i dont work in that area, i dont do electronics or drivers/hardware or super low level shit. i just need to show a GUI with some boxes and text fields, take input or whatever from the user, do something with that using some function designed by some other department (usually legal or finance) then spit it out to a file or db somewhere. honestly java makes that shit so fucking easy. doing so with C would be painful. you have no built in GUI or networking. businesses dont give a shit if you can make the program 30ns quicker or use 20MB less RAM if it takes you 5 days instead of 2 to make it and debug it.

>>55903588
you make my life sound dull as fuck

since you have a job now (but no degree), would you still think it could be easy for you to get a job? ive heard a lot about the it industry that they look more for experienced workers who show off their projects and previous jobs than a degree, but I guess that goes for any industry in a sense

>>55903664
anyone who says you NEED a degree to get a programming job is full of shit. sure some jobs will *require* a degree but that is true of all career paths. honestly it is easier to get a job as a programmer than a fucking plumber these days as you dont need to do any government backed qualification to call yourself a legit programmer like you do a plumber. at least in the uk you gotta be certified to do gas or electrical work professional. nothing like that for programming!

if you want a job think about it realistically. even if you are a low-level wizard you wont get anywhere without proof of your skills. want to show off those skills? just code up some shit and stick it up for the world to see on github or bitbucket! shit is so fucking easy it is crazy. make some connections by fixing boring bugs in a open source project, when they are accepted stick that shit on your CV. you can put "freelance software developer" and point it to the project page. nobody really checks on *everything*. just enough to get your foot in the door then when you are in for an interview you can show them some example code or whatever if you get a tech interview. you might just get some HR drone though who doesnt know shit and just gives you a multiple choice "interview" like "what is an object..." and then some stupid choices.

if you really want to get some paper cert then you cant go wrong with anything java or .net related. they are all pretty standard and businesses like them as they have a big name like oracle behind them.

also ignore shit about how "awful" java is. you think any big company is decent? MS, IBM, Google, Facebook, Oracle. they are all fuckers. oracle are just a bit more transparent i guess lol. at the end of the day would you rather get a paycheck due to knowing how to use java or will you be one of those NEETs at their mummies spareroom posting about how java is slow and shit because it tries to install the ask toolbar or whatever the fuck?

>>55903169
This. Honestly Java is kinda bad in some aspects but it certainly is awesome for begginers.

Do it. Just don't approach it as "Hurr learn C and then learn classes".

Only retards will give that advice. C++ is a different language that just happens to have C's constructs and standard library as well for compatibility reasons, not because they should be used.

>>55903837
Thank You mate! Applied for Software Engineering course which i dont think ill get into, but my plan B is to become an apprentice software dev and in the evenings learn JAVA etc. After 3 years i get a foundation degree.

So the plan is in 3 years to have a bit of money saved up from working, some sort of degree (although shitty), a portfolio of 3 years work and 3 years experience within an IT firm. I think that puts me in a better position than some fuck who studied CS at a Uni who knows it all 'in theory'...

>>55903439
>HolyC
>Indian
>not CIA nigger
3/10

>>55903118
If you are a beginner here's the route you should take.
1. Learn the Terminal
2. Do the codecademy HTML and CSS course, even though neither of these are programming languages they are fairly easy and help you get a basic understanding of syntax, etc.
3. Learn Python (or another scripting language like authotkey, PHP) I recommend the book, 'Learn Python the Hard Way' for beginners.
4. Practice Python (or said other scripting language) by making projects or contributing to open source projects.
>What projects should I make??
Well kiddo you aren't gonna make a game in a day, so I'd recommend something like a webcrawler or a music player.
4. Learn C. 'Learn C the Hard Way' is also written by the same person who wrote 'Learn Python The Hard Way', but it is not well liked and I would recommend the book, 'C: A modern approach'.
>a-anon.. I'm not good with books!!! How else can I learn?
Try 'thenewboston' on youtube he has some good tutorials for newcomers and experenced users alike, but if you are really unable to focus very long on a book it is going to be dreadful trying to program so work on your attentive skills.
5. Go from C to C++. Its not a hard transition except for the syntax, make sure you're good with C before you start C++, however.

Remember tho that you cannot stop once you start and if you do it's not going to be easy to come back to it.

Make sure you are dedicated and apply yourself to a schedule, an hour a day should so, if not more.

Finally, DO NOT USE AN IDE! An IDE (Integrated development environment) will work out bugs for you and not help you become better at what you do, you will not improve, forget comments, etc. Instead use a text editor and a compiler, for text editors I recommend nano, vim, notepad++, or something else amount these lines. Note I didn't recommend emacs because I think he should only try learning one thing at a time, not because I dislike it.
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>>55904297
just learn java. you can pick up the basics if you study/code it for ~4-6 hours a day in roughly a month i would think for a beginner with a little experience with some kind of programming language.

if you have an android phone just register a dev account, build a flappy bird clone and publish it. then on your cv just put you are running a software startup. honestly dont be scared to just put yourself out there. one of two things will happen

1. they check and see you are making yourself out to be more than you are and never call you

2. they dont check and offer you an interview or whatever and you then have to make it through the interview. read up on the company, what they do, learn a little about their history, etc. getting a job isnt about being the best programmer but being the best fit for the company with as many of their wants ticked. doesnt matter if some antisocial cunt who knows everything interviews if they dont like him but like you then you will get the job.

just put yourself out there. dont do this 3 year bullshit plan. just do it now. otherwise 3 years will become 5 which will become 8 when you fuck around and have something unexpected pop up. trust me i know from first hand experience.

>>55904555
speaking of flappy bird clones and android, are app programming a big thing? i mean is it worthy to pursuit a job programming apps or is it too hard to get a job there etc?

>>55904650
being an indie app developer is hard. like i dont know of anyone who makes enough to live from their apps.

however app development at companies is very real. i have made 6 android apps for my current company. android is fucking piss easy. it looks/sounds complex but once you understand how things connect together it is simple as and the api is easy to use. honestly the worst thing about android dev is the emulator but that has actually got way better in the past few months. plus android studio is based on intellij so it is basically the same tool i use for java desktop and server programs and android apps.

not done ios but i assume it is very similar from what i have seen/heard. i dont really "do" os x though, always been a windows user.

that is what i like about java, you can use it just about anywhere except ios.

>>55904793
ah, I see man, I was always sort of thinking that many app developers were at least making an OK income which would make me more than happy, maybe it could be that way in iOS though since to be fair, much more monies there are made than Android

but fuck, I never thought about java working in android, i will probably start this language, so fucking nice to be able to run shit on smartphones too