How To Learn To Code In 2013 • Hacker News Board

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#21

Post by nbashaw » Mon, Dec 31, 2012, 10:48 PM UTC

edj wrote: post #18

The reason it’s so hard for adults to learn new things is that there is no authority figure punishing them if they fail. ... If we’re serious about accomplishing our goal, we have to create a context where we have no choice but to learn. A great way to do this is 1-on-1 tutoring. As an adult, I learn faster under tutoring than in any other context. Part of the reason is that a (competent) tutor can keep me right at t…

Very true, also probably less stressful. When I was a student I couldn't really afford it though. The nice thing about doing freelance is you make money! haha

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#22

Post by yk » Mon, Dec 31, 2012, 10:52 PM UTC

dysoco wrote: post #6

I dislike how people say "Learn to code" and that automatically implies that it's HTML, CSS and JS: There is a whole world out of that.

Especially since HTML,CSS and JS is actually a way to not learn to code. (Or rather a dangerous way to learn coding.)

To expand a bit, the most fun part of coding is clever tricks based on understanding a system. But with building a website, you get nice results by just treating coding as a complicated way to do photoshop, and settle for this.

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#23

Post by capkutay » Mon, Dec 31, 2012, 11:06 PM UTC

theoj wrote: post #3

>> The reason it’s so hard for adults to learn new things is that there is no authority figure punishing them if they fail. I think it's way more than that. Once you're out of school, there is no one to set goals for you. Even assuming you do have goals, there are no structured classes or textbooks to get you to those goals with your eyes closed. You are essentially both the teacher and the pupil and you must figure…

I agree. Studying CS in college I never had an Aha! Moment or a specific moment where I knew I "learned to code", but the cumulative knowledge I gained from following the strict college computer science curriculum gave me that skill over time.

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#24

Post by 10098 » Mon, Dec 31, 2012, 11:50 PM UTC

I think the best way to learn programming is the same as it was in 2012. Or 1995. Or 1970. All you need is a compiler/interpreter for language X, an introductory course for language X, and a nice entry-level CS book. But most of all, you need passion. Without it, you are doomed to quit.

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#25

Post by neumann_alfred » Tue, Jan 01, 2013, 12:02 AM UTC

I like that, if only because I plan on / am doing that anyway :) I am amazed by what is already possible with "just" a modern browser and a decent machine, and the fact that it will get so much better in the near future..! I played games on my Amiga 500 just yesterday, in the afternoon I painfully tried to get SDL to draw enough pixels fast enough to make particles that look nice (forget alpha!)... now I can draw whatever I want with awesome speed, even without being an optimizing or math guru, send a link to someone or a million people, and they can play it seconds after I made the last change. WTF? Forget flying cars; did any of you see this coming 20 years ago? I love it :D

Oh, and happy new year! May you find many ways to make people happy, so they may make you happy in return.

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#26

Post by eertami » Tue, Jan 01, 2013, 12:15 AM UTC

drcube wrote: post #9

Vendek wrote: post #2

First of all, HTML and CSS is not coding, and second it won't result in a 'serviceable website' as sites need to be dynamic these days, and you won't get paid for a static website anyway. This is a bad post and the author should feel bad.

Can you write a web app without knowing HTML and CSS? And how about reading the next sentence? >Once you understand that, then you can move on to Javascript, Ruby, Python, or whatever else you want.

I guess it's still cool to exclude PHP despite it being the most obvious.

Re: How To Learn To Code In 2013

#27

Post by klrr » Tue, Jan 01, 2013, 12:22 AM UTC

I am going to (try to) learn programming next year. I'll start out with SICP, read all chapters twice and watch all the lectures. If that's to difficult I'll read Simply Scheme first.