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Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

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Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#31

Post by biz2hack »

coderdude wrote: post #29
whatusername wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Dive into Python is a great book - but I wouldn't recommend it to biz2hack. At least - not yet. (How to Think like a computer scientist) is a better Python intro book - but if you've got a site in Ruby/Rails - start with that. Completely Agree though on this: "change the code, save the file, execute the code, repeat" Here's a first step for you - you've got a website somewhere - getting it running on your loc…

I wasn't suggesting Dive into Python to him, he's trying to learn Ruby. I was just drawing upon an example. The VMWare approach, setting up a virtual linux box so that he can configure apache and ruby, might be a little much for a biz2hack, as you put it.

Would you happen to know a similar book available for Ruby, if you have any ideas?

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#32

Post by biz2hack »

jacquesm wrote: post #17

Hey Biz2Hack, You posted this earlier today and I wrote you a reply, then when I hit 'submit' the page was deleted! Here is what I wrote: (1) Well, you certainly have your problems cut out for you. You won't be lacking in motivation, that's for sure :) Where to start... Programming is a method, a way of thinking, it has nothing to do with the actual language that you use to do it in, that's just a means to an end (th…

Thank you so much jacques, and I will absolutely keep you updated. I hope that things will go well. Actually, (2) is the way that I previously learned finance, and it worked incredibly well. Thanks for the advice, and I'll be sure to follow through with that.

Would you have any suggestions for (3)? Someone had also previously mentioned railscasts, and I came across rails tutors, but I was looking for something that could help me get started on the basics.. My dad recommended programming for dummies, but that series usually seems to only cover cursory explanations. (Maybe I'm wrong?)

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#33

Post by biz2hack »

christonog wrote: post #9

Hey there, Though I am a little ahead in building a Rails app, I'm essentially in the same position you are in and (more importantly) have the same mindset of building it myself. Shoot me an email and hopefully we can help each other with our projects.

Thanks Chris, will do!

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#34

Post by b0k0n0n »

als wrote: post #19
kyro wrote: post #12

Hey man, I recently had a similar revelation that I just needed to learn how to code. I picked up ruby a week ago with the intent of learning rails and building web apps. I knew a bit of python/django before, but nothing that could be considered hacker knowledge. If you want to learn together, let me know. It'd probably help the both of us. I have a few ebooks and what not that I could send you that have helped me le…

Kyro and biz2hack, I've been thinking it would be fun to get some beginners/novices together to learn the basics of various languages together. At some point we'd probably need to tap some outside wisdom but we could get started together. Interested?

can I jump in on this? I think this is exactly what I've been needing.

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#36

Post by biz2hack »

als wrote: post #19
kyro wrote: post #12

Hey man, I recently had a similar revelation that I just needed to learn how to code. I picked up ruby a week ago with the intent of learning rails and building web apps. I knew a bit of python/django before, but nothing that could be considered hacker knowledge. If you want to learn together, let me know. It'd probably help the both of us. I have a few ebooks and what not that I could send you that have helped me le…

Kyro and biz2hack, I've been thinking it would be fun to get some beginners/novices together to learn the basics of various languages together. At some point we'd probably need to tap some outside wisdom but we could get started together. Interested?

100 percent absolutely. My e-mail is in my profile, and I would be very happy to be a part of this!

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#37

Post by Mz »

My websites started with someone else asking permission to post something I had written on her site. She made a little subsite on her site for my stuff. I sent more content to add to it occasionally. When she could no longer keep up, she gifted me the templates. My then-husband was pursing a degree in computer science and took a few minutes to explain a few things to me (like what an FTP program was) and I started with a Yahoo account which apparently wasn't very hacker friendly. I later moved my sites to something with more flexibility when I knew more. Initially, I could only copy and paste colors to change backgrounds and copy and paste text to make a new page. The first time I tried to change anything structurally, I messed it all up. The woman who wrote the original templates kind of mentored me for a time and I eventually used some CD's, online sites, and a book or two to learn more coding, supplemented with talking with friends online who knew more than I did. I still tend to look things up "as needed". I do okay these days with my websites. They are in (X)HTML and CSS.

My current goal is to learn a programming language so I can write a game. I have yet to seriously pursue that. I don't have a deadline though. Que sera, sera.

I hope my story is helpful to you and good luck with this.

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#38

Post by ruby_roo »

biz2hack wrote: post #30
callahad wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It really helps to have people to whom you can direct questions as you learn. Do you have any friends that are developers? People generally enjoy when someone takes a genuine interest in their field. Perhaps ask politely if any of them would mind occasional IMs as you work your way through things.

Actually, no...unfortunately. I think while I am at the Hacker dojo, I'll make some more friends as I'm here. But that's a great idea, I just hope to make some friends that will tolerate questions that are rather basic..

Alternatively, get your hands on a free IRC client and hang around #ruby and #rubyonrails on irc.freenode.net.

Hit or miss, at times, but being able to chat live with real Ruby and Rails programmers is pretty helpful.

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#39

Post by marcamillion »

biz2hack....like everybody else pointed out, the best way to get into it is to jump in with trying small changes, and seeing the effect of those changes. I was in a similar position as you recently, except that I know all the fundamentals of programming - did a BA in Comp Sci :)

However, I have recently taken a liking to Ruby and am committed to learning Rails. I looked at many Ruby books and even tried the poignant Ruby tutorial that other posters have linked to, but I found the best tutorial & accompany book is the 'Learn to Program in Ruby' book by Chris Pine. http://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/ He started writing a Ruby tutorial online and refined it according to feedback from readers. Then once he had all of that done, he published it in a complete book. But the bulk of the tutorial is still available free at the link I posted above.

Chris does an awesome job of making programming accessible. He assumes you don't have any experience programming, and breaks down everything into 'human-friendly' language. It is hands-down one of the best programming texts/tutorials I have ever seen. The truth is, I have been searching for a similar text for Rails, but haven't found it.

If you start there, I think that would be a good place to start.

Keep us posted on how it all goes.

Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: Learning 2 Hack - For the very first time. With a deadline.

#40

Post by ricaurte »

biz2hack wrote: post #36
als wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kyro and biz2hack, I've been thinking it would be fun to get some beginners/novices together to learn the basics of various languages together. At some point we'd probably need to tap some outside wisdom but we could get started together. Interested?

100 percent absolutely. My e-mail is in my profile, and I would be very happy to be a part of this!

Hey biz2hack, I'm not seeing your email in your profile. I'm in for joining you guys. I last programmed about 4 years ago, and 4 weeks ago I picked it up again. My email is in my profile, and please keep me in the loop.
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