where do i begin?

EddyM · Post by **EddyM** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:18 am

Hello guys whats up my name is Edwin or Eddy if you want. I am currently trying to learn how to program (c++) I want to use this to make games and maybe helpful apps here and there how know. i am reading "Sams Teach Yourself C++ in 24 days" and am on day 4. I have tried to learn to program before and have picked up some stuff here and there but life got in the way with school and social life or to be honest lack of motivation. so my question is whats the best way to go about learning a
programming language and any tips for some one starting out who needs some motivation and to keep at it? Any feed back would be nice thanks.

~Eddy

Post by **dandymcgee** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:32 pm

The most important thing you can do to help yourself learn any new skill is to set goals. Not just a few goals, a large list of obtainable goals. Work towards them. Every time you meet a goal you will feel accomplished, and your motivation will be restored. If you find your next goal to be too far off, set even more goals for the immediate future. I am a huge fan of todo lists, as they are easy to keep track of and one of the best ways to record your progress.

thejahooli · Post by **thejahooli** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 8:14 am

I would recommend you to not just go through the book from chapter to chapter. Once you've learned something new in the book, have a go at experimenting with what you've learned so far by writing your own programs which aren't dictated by the book. The programs don't have to be complex or even completed, but having a go at making something gets you into the momentum of writing your own code and establishing a better understanding of the programming itself.

Post by **dandymcgee** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:25 am

thejahooli wrote:I would recommend you to not just go through the book from chapter to chapter. Once you've learned something new in the book, have a go at experimenting with what you've learned so far by writing your own programs which aren't dictated by the book. The programs don't have to be complex or even completed, but having a go at making something gets you into the momentum of writing your own code and establishing a better understanding of the programming itself.

I agree, learning by doing is also important. You will be a hundred times more likely to retain the information once you've put it to use, rather than just read about it.

EddyM · Post by **EddyM** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:13 pm

Thanks Dandy for the advice i have bin taking it slow focusing on one getting through the book one step at a time and making sure i understood what i just read and it has helped me keep focused for the most part. i have also bin trying whati have learnt in some of my own ways like The jJahooli said but haven't really stepped to far away form what the book teaches mostly because i don't think i know enough to be able to actually make something yet but soon i will step out of my comfort zone.

. I had an idea to make thread with daily post of stuff that i had learnt that day. to keep me accountable and mostly to have a place to cry when i don't understand something

i wanted to know what you guys would think if i did it here before i start just posting away.

Skomakar'n · Post by **Skomakar'n** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:34 pm

As for the motivation, think of what you indeed do intend to achieve by learning this stuff; making games. That is your ultimate purpose with this effort, and it will pay off once you feel confident enough to do it. It might take time, but if a book that claims to teach you how to get going with C++ in less than a month keeps is promise, that's not a very long time before you should at least be able to feel that you have solved many of the previous mysteries and gotten an understanding for the concept of programming and how it works.

Write some text based programs along the way. Maybe even have a go at something like Tic-Tac-Toe at the end of the period of these 24 days. Keep your new skills alive as you learn something fresh, so that you create less abstract memories of the concepts by actually working with them. Spending a little time with each new concept should prove very fruitful.

Post by **dandymcgee** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:38 pm

EddyM wrote:I had an idea to make thread with daily post of stuff that i had learnt that day. to keep me accountable and mostly to have a place to cry when i don't understand something i wanted to know what you guys would think if i did it here before i start just posting away.

These forums are more for discussion than blogging. If you have a question or want to promote a project you're working on, do it here. If you just want to make daily posts about your general programming progress and other miscellaneous topics, create a blog on wordpress.org and link it in your signature here.

EddyM · Post by **EddyM** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 7:54 pm

"dandymcgee"
If you just want to make daily posts about your general programming progress and other miscellaneous topics, create a blog on wordpress.org and link it in your signature here.

Thanks for the idea i went and did that. I have bin working on a simple text based game and its bin going pretty well so far so if any one wants to check that out you can go to the blog...
and with that we can let this thread die a nice and quiet death

Elysian Shadows

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