11–20 of 194 posts
Those are topics that one could make progress on with only a pencil, paper, and the occasional phone call to a mentor.
I cannot imagine submitting punch cards and reading JavaScript stack traces by mail.
Learning to code without a computer is what we all did, 40 years ago! He may write programs on paper, and send them to you to type them in, compile them, and print out a listing with the errors. You then send back the listing, and he will correct his program and repeat. He'll become a great programmer, since he will have to be extra careful to avoid losing one week on some typo. Now, it's been a few years since gcc h…
https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-Brian-W-Kernigha...
I'd also learn SICP: https://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Pro...
and algorithms from either CLRS https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-3rd-MIT-Press... or Skiena Algorithm Design https://www.amazon.com/Algorithm-Design-Manual-Steven-Skiena...
I remember reading an articulation that it is odd that we are taught to program differently to how we are taught to play music. With music, we are taught to read before we write. With programming, we start out writing. This seems like a great chance for your friend to try out the music learning approach. Send them books of excellently written programs, and allow them to read before they write. [As a side note: What i…
What we find easy is to read programs we wrote. Recently.
(I'm trying to help change this: http://akkartik.name/about)
Learning to code without a computer is what we all did, 40 years ago! He may write programs on paper, and send them to you to type them in, compile them, and print out a listing with the errors. You then send back the listing, and he will correct his program and repeat. He'll become a great programmer, since he will have to be extra careful to avoid losing one week on some typo. Now, it's been a few years since gcc h…
Can you share with readers the version number for the last gcc that can do this satisfactorily?
I learned programming without a computer in the 90s with Kernigan & Ritchie "C Programming Language", one of the best coding books ever written: https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Language-Brian-W-Kernigha... I'd also learn SICP: https://www.amazon.com/Structure-Interpretation-Computer-Pro... and algorithms from either CLRS https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Algorithms-3rd-MIT-Press... or Skiena Algorithm Design htt…
Once that is worked through, Godel, Escher, Bach would be an especially entertaining and enlightening read.
So what books do I have?
Books on usability and web accessibility are good reads, however no obvious title springs to mind ('Don't Make Me Think!' would last your friend all of a morning).
One thing though, chess. Chess is played in prisons and some prisoners get rather good at it. Maybe encourage your friend to form a chess league if there isn't one already. Perhaps get him a really good book on chess that can be used by this chess league to be.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CARDboard_Illustrative_Aid_to_...
I don't understand why they don't give inmates access to a computer for a few hours per day. When they're out the hard working ones will have programming skills which will help with the job hunt.