Learning to code...
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- dMullins
Any recommendations?
I've toyed with coding over the years, a little HTML/CSS here, some familiarity with AS2.0 as well.
I want to make a serious push to be a better programmer, but I feel like I'm pulling myself in too many directions, trying to get better at AS, trying to get solid at HTML/CSS, and eventually learning more about JS/AJAX/JQuery/PHP.
Any recommendations on where to begin? I appreciate it.
- lukus_W0
stackoverflow.com -> you'll get lots of advice there
- heavyt0
begin with XHTML and CSS, since any language you will want to use after that will most likely be producing html code (PHP,etc.).
Unless you are going the Flash route - then learn AS3. The good news about that is it will teach you a lot about languages in general. Patterns, logic, loops, variables, etc.
- ukit0
Learn AS3. Flash is probably more fun to learn than the others and once you understand the concepts of object oriented programming you will be able to pick up the other stuff fairly quickly.
- Doesn't AS fundamentally change with every new Flash release?Nairn
- Not really. Tinkering around the edges maybe but AS2 > AS3 was the only big leap.ukit
- i'd expect the fundamentals of AS to not change much from this point on, Nairn... just expect new built-in classesPonyBoy
- PonyBony is likely correct. AS3 brought the big game. Everything else will be frothing on the high seas.boobs
- lukus_W0
if you want to learn html/css properly follow the opera online curriculum http://www.opera.com/company/edu…
- dMullins0
Great advice so far. Thanks a bunch.
I was initially leaning towards going the AS 3.0 route, but eventually got side-tracked having to learn AfterEffects for a project at work.
I have enough friggin books on AS 3.0 laying around as it is, so that might be the best route for me to take. Only problem is, all of the AS 3.0 books I have already are so literal. I want to get a book that is learn as you go, not "learn this, this, this, then this, and then finally we will give you a practical example to try." Any suggestions? I hate to shell out money on more AS 3.0 books, but the four I have already are just not what I was hoping for.
I've got the Colin Moock book, the AS 3.0 bible, Learning AS 3.0 (O'Reilly, which seems to be more of a here's how to play with palettes in Flash CS4 instead of Learn to code), and the fourth is a book on AS 3.0 animation practices.
A nice jump-start book would be great.
- lukus_W0
All high level languages make use of the same basic concepts - and in my opinion, you need to learn these concepts first. It's a bit dull - but until you have an overview, I reckon it's pretty difficult to do anything useful with code.
Seriously, check out that stackoverflow site.. lots of people who are incredibly knowledgeable about programming hang out there -> and other people will most likely have posed the exact question.
- dMullins0
Okay. At first look it seemed to be very topic-oriented, but I will do some more digging and see what happens.
- not sure what level you're at.. but I searched for learning programming -> http://stackoverflow…lukus_W
- blaw0
PHP and MySQL are a great place to start. There are plenty of books available that are a solid introduction to using these tools, including one from O'Reilly. Grab the book, decide on a semi-easy project and build it.
HTML/CSS isn't really programming, it's just markup and formatting. Obviously you need to know them for any Web-based projects, but they aren't a really foundation for programming.
- ukit0
I wouldn't waste any more on books when you've got the whole web at your disposal. Blogs and tutorials are a better way to learn IMO. Personally, when I'm learning something, I like to be involved and trying it out. There's so much cool stuff out there with AS3.
- monNom0
I've always found that a personal project is a great way to learn. Come up with something cool you want to create and go at it. When you get stuck, hit the reference materials. Start researching and trying things until you get it working,. You're keeping it contextual, applying concepts and techniques as you learn them, and getting experience in applying problem solving techniques to code. (e.g. breaking down a complex system into the little things you know how to do... and the grey areas you need to figure out.).
AS3 is a nice place to start because it's modern, it's robust, it does have a steep learning curve, but you can do a lot with a little knowledge because of the flash platform. Concepts you learn in flash can be transfered to PHP, JS, even Java.
- vaxorcist0
AS3 has a million books and such, so it's easy to think you have to learn waaay more than you really do in order to be productive. I'd pick a personal project, do it, and learn what you need in order to do it, that way expose yourself to all sorts of interesting stuff on the way you can revisit later....
jQuery is much easier than "pure" javascript.....
PHP can be easy, sometimes deceptively so, depending on what you're doing....
- dMullins0
I see. This is ultimately my problem -- what to learn. There's so many options available and different directions to go in. I think I'll go ahead and dive back into trying to learn AS 3.0
My girlfriend just switched to night shift at the hospital, so I need something to fill the time void. Fapping only cuts it for so long...
Thanks for the advice.
- Sounds like you need someone to cover your night shift!boobs
- ukit0
Well, decide what you want to do with it...AS3 and JQuery are by far the best to know for a designer. If you plan on making the jump to being a "real" programmer, it might be other stuff.
- uberdesigner0
I've read that if you can get your head wrapped around the concept of recursion then you should be able to program.
- fiesta0
processing.org
this is hands down the best way to learn how to program, the lessons learnt using processing are easily transplanted into Javascript+JQuery, AS3 and PHPalso the good thing is it doesn't take about 4 lines of code to draw a fucking line on the screen, so use that to grasp the basics of classes, typing and OOP.
Once you get pretty good at processing suddenly you will find it easy to pick up any other language because the concepts are the same
- vaxorcist0
yes.... learning to separate the ideas from the random ideosyncracies when learning to program is the hardest part.... I used to teach interactive multimedia programming at an art school, and I wish processing was around when I was teaching...
- zenmasterfoo0
As much as most people hate the guy, Jeffery Zeldman's book "Designing with We Standards" is a great read. It's well written and hits on all the essentials for coding using style sheets.