How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#1

Post by Vuiisiq » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 8:48 PM UTC

How to Learn JavaScript Properly
javascriptissexy.com

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#2

Post by kevin_rubyhouse » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:00 PM UTC

I've tried to teach my friends and acquaintances that are interested in programming, but my curriculums never work out. It seems that the bigger problem for the guys I'm talking about (high school and college age) is self-motivation and drive that they are unfamiliar with from their academic careers. Anybody motivated enough could learn programming because all of the necessary resources and training is freely available. The OP's curriculum looks like a fantastic way to get into JavaScript for somebody motivated. The bigger question then is, how do you motivate somebody that likes the idea of programming to also happily accept the hard work involved?

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#3

Post by cabbeer » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:15 PM UTC

kevin_rubyhouse wrote: post #2

I've tried to teach my friends and acquaintances that are interested in programming, but my curriculums never work out. It seems that the bigger problem for the guys I'm talking about (high school and college age) is self-motivation and drive that they are unfamiliar with from their academic careers. Anybody motivated enough could learn programming because all of the necessary resources and training is freely availab…

adderall

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#4

Post by csihar » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:21 PM UTC

kevin_rubyhouse wrote: post #2

I've tried to teach my friends and acquaintances that are interested in programming, but my curriculums never work out. It seems that the bigger problem for the guys I'm talking about (high school and college age) is self-motivation and drive that they are unfamiliar with from their academic careers. Anybody motivated enough could learn programming because all of the necessary resources and training is freely availab…

Show them how much money they can make if they stick with it. Spending a solid year and maybe a hundred bucks on books to teach yourself how to code can easily get you a higher starting wage than a lot of people with bachelor's degrees and tens of thousands in student loan debt.

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#5

Post by fmsf » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:23 PM UTC

Gonna put this to a test: "Prerequisite: Completed at least middle school". My brother lacks 2 years to finish middle school, and I've been wanting to guess when it is a good time to start teaching him

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#6

Post by kevin_rubyhouse » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:26 PM UTC

csihar wrote: post #4

kevin_rubyhouse wrote: post #2

I've tried to teach my friends and acquaintances that are interested in programming, but my curriculums never work out. It seems that the bigger problem for the guys I'm talking about (high school and college age) is self-motivation and drive that they are unfamiliar with from their academic careers. Anybody motivated enough could learn programming because all of the necessary resources and training is freely availab…

Show them how much money they can make if they stick with it. Spending a solid year and maybe a hundred bucks on books to teach yourself how to code can easily get you a higher starting wage than a lot of people with bachelor's degrees and tens of thousands in student loan debt.

They need to be intrinsically motivated or else they will be B or C players. I'm only interested in cultivating A players. It's something I can't do, and it's something that would be extremely valuable to any organization (like any company I run for instance.)

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#7

Post by gnosis » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:32 PM UTC

"But while Mr. Crockford, who is immensely knowledgeable in JavaScript, is seen as the Einstein of the JavaScript world, his book, The Good Parts, is not a good JavaScript book for beginners."

Why not?

Also, does he mean it's not good for people who are just starting to learn programming? Or also for experienced programmers who are starting to learn Javascript?

What would be a good book to start with for experienced programmers just starting to learn Javascript?

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#8

Post by thirdsun » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:35 PM UTC

kevin_rubyhouse wrote: post #2

I've tried to teach my friends and acquaintances that are interested in programming, but my curriculums never work out. It seems that the bigger problem for the guys I'm talking about (high school and college age) is self-motivation and drive that they are unfamiliar with from their academic careers. Anybody motivated enough could learn programming because all of the necessary resources and training is freely availab…

I guess the key to staying motivated is the need to apply these (potential) skills to actual real world problems - no matter how small they may seem.

That said, I'm trying to get into Rails and Ruby and I'm in a similar boat as the friends you described. At work I'm a FileMaker developer, which might sound like amateur hour to the HN community. I'm very well aware of FileMakers shortcomings, but it also works quite well for our little non-tech company, which is why there is no immediate need to learn more advanced languages. Add to that outside my day job, I'm a musician/producer - this is a hobby as well as an occational source of income, but it takes time and there's only so much left when I get back home, which caused my drive to keep learning to behave more like an on/off relationship.

Nevertheless I try to hang on to it. Having experience with developer tools as well as audio production software and hardware, I have to agree with you - people interested in programing have everything they need readily available. Sure, it got a lot easier for musicians too, but usually a decent DAW, plugins or audio interfaces and monitors still require a financial investment, which certainly helps to remind you about your original goals. Meanwhile frameworks, editors and documentation are mostly free - combined with limited time and a lack of concrete need for your new knowledge, it can be tough.

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#9

Post by fmsf » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:42 PM UTC

gnosis wrote: post #7

"But while Mr. Crockford, who is immensely knowledgeable in JavaScript, is seen as the Einstein of the JavaScript world, his book, The Good Parts, is not a good JavaScript book for beginners." Why not? Also, does he mean it's not good for people who are just starting to learn programming? Or also for experienced programmers who are starting to learn Javascript? What would be a good book to start with for experienced…

Just avoid trying to explain to a newbie that what closures are and that you can pass functions around. That normaly === "mind blow"

Re: How to Learn JavaScript Properly

#10

Post by richardofyork » Sat, Feb 09, 2013, 10:47 PM UTC

gnosis wrote: post #7

"But while Mr. Crockford, who is immensely knowledgeable in JavaScript, is seen as the Einstein of the JavaScript world, his book, The Good Parts, is not a good JavaScript book for beginners." Why not? Also, does he mean it's not good for people who are just starting to learn programming? Or also for experienced programmers who are starting to learn Javascript? What would be a good book to start with for experienced…

Immediately after the sentence you quoted above, the article went on to say: "Crockford’s book does not explain the JavaScript concepts in a thorough, clear, easily digestible form."