11 replies to this topic

[Harlot]

Of course I am attending college in August and my passion is history. However, I have always wanted to know how to code games and software. I have actually wanted to learn at least one programming language well for a while now. However, every time I Google it, I get disenchanted and confused. Have anyone learned a programming language independently? Did anyone take a college class to learn a programming language?

Also, how long did it take you to learn a particular programming language and what projects have you been able to accomplish with them?

[rpgsearcherz]

I've accomplished a lot with self-learning, including some small games and stuff. I'm moving up to DirectX currently for 2d/3d gaming.

What language are you wanting to learn? I plan to start a project soon that demystifies C++ for newbies and teaches it from the very basics up through what I know (and then further than that).

[truefusion]

I did not go to college to learn how to program. School just basically has you learn faster than what you normally would have if you did it in your spare time and they give you a degree for it. It is easier to learn if you start with a scripting language, like PHP, since they touch on much of what you would with a programming language, though not everything. It should be noted, though, that learning a language does not mean that you know how to build efficient programs/scripts. You may know the language, but that doesn't mean there wasn't a better way to accomplish the same task. Now-a-days, i mostly use C++ and PHP, but i have messed with Python also (though PHP and Python are scripting languages).

[web_designer]

i studied programming languages in college for four years, we learned a lot about how to program from scratch, how to find software solutions, how the data been read by the computer and analysis them, how to work with databases and data structures...ect. but were all those enough to work perfectly after college?? no they weren't. i have to study more after graduation, and know a lot of things, i have to search more and keep on studying to keep myself up to date with the new programming languages.

now, could you learn any programming language by yourself? the answer is yes. but you will have to study more than who has a background on how to work with programs. because most of the programming languages have the same basis, therefor it is easier to learn new languages for those who already studied them, and in the same time it is possible to anyone to study any programming language by himself, but this will take more effort from him.

i really think it is all about you, so put your heart in it and do your best and you will doing great. if you want tell us what language do you want to learn and we could help you find some good books and tutorials, good luck.

[rpgsearcherz]

A very good way to learn how to adapt your programming skills to certain things (say, you know C++ and want to make an RTS) is to look for open-source projects of that type.

There are projects for anything you could think of -- including full OS's (like Linux). By learning the language and looking at how things were done in those projects you help fine-tune your skills based on what it is you want to learn.

[Quatrux]

You can learn programming by yourself, practically I learned programming in school by myself, on my leisure time.. You can start reading books, tutorials and do practical works and with time you can become a programmer.

But after attending university, I learned a lot of stuff, which I would touch by learning at home or at work by myself, due to I would need it personally..

It depends what you want to do, sometimes there are such programmers which never attended any college or universities, but they are monsters in programming.

In fact, programming is a small bit of work with computers, you need to learn a lot, you can't be a programmer all your live. I mean programming and programming without doing anything else.

[mahesh2k]

There is lot of misconception about programing. There is no need to go to school or university to learn programming. Many people learn things on their own. There are many tutorials & forums out there devoted on programming so you can learn programming easily. Only thing school & university allows you is that they make your learning process easier. You get help from instructors and professors to help you grasp concepts easily and to solve recursive problems in programming.

Also you don't need brand name or job of programmer, to call yourself a programmer. Any person who knows how to program and is actively programming is programmer. Programming is like long term & life long learning process. You learn basics of most of the language and learning goes on forever.

[Shahrukh]

I learnt all my programming from cheap, old books.
Its always good to have professional help but in case of decent software programming, you don't really need one.
I say you buy Robrt Lafore's Object Oriented Programming with C++.

Making 3D games is not that easy, but upto small, 2D games, it can be done without any help. A good book and internet is all you need.

[Soviet Rathe]

Collage will help you alot, personally I'm skipping highschool and collage and going straight for my GED, but if you go to collage, weather you take a programming course or not you will still learn something about web coding. because.. today.. the internet is apart of our lives and collage's include that in their normal studies.

[darthmalis]

I have learned to write Java, PHP, JavaScript and HTML/CSS all on my own. I am not as good as a pro but it's not really hard with all of the free tutorials online. The "Dummies" books are all very good places to start.