On Sat, 2013-01-26 at 04:14 +0100, Malte Gell wrote:
Hi there, I´ve been a Linux user for many years, but I´ve not yet learned to code. I speak some Bash and have good general knowledge about x86 hardware, but that´s all. What would you recommend how to start learn programming? Would you start with a scripting language like Python or Perl or just with C/C++? Automating things or controlling apps with Perl/Python would already be a good thing. What do you say?
What kind of things interest you? It is much more fun/interesting [and thus you are much more likely to actually do it] to work on problems related to something you actually do or are interested in? Do you want work on an existing Open Source project [and avenue I *STRONGLY* recommend, you'll learn a lot] or do you just want to tinker with your own stuff? Most large projects provide low-barrier-to-entry tasks and bugs. I'd recommend you find one you are interested in and approach it from there. Learn whatever language that this. If you are a GNOME user check out the GNOME Love project https://live.gnome.org/GnomeLove and its mailing list https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-love. They do a lot to help out new contributors. Also http://worldofgnome.org/get-it-started-with-gnome-development/ For my own project I maintain a 'dangling-fruit' list, do bugs that should be pretty simple. <http://sourceforge.net/p/coils/tickets/search/?q=!status%3Aclosed+%26% 26+labels%3Adangling-fruit+> Picking a bug in some project and just trying to figure it out will teach you a LOT. This is a good approach to learning because development is actually about a great deal more that "writing code", in the real-world it is just as much [if not more] about understanding code that has already written and being able to conceptualize how a problem is being approached. Reading a book on Design Patters is a good idea. This is regardless of programming language - everything uses design patterns. And you'll better understand how problems are being solved as well as what experienced developers are talking about [more experienced developers speak in design patterns]. -- Adam Tauno Williams GPG D95ED383 Systems Administrator, Python Developer, LPI / NCLA -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-programming+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse-programming+owner@opensuse.org