Learning to program?

[Calum]

Hi all
My first foray into the programming section
I've decided I'd like to learn to program, as one of the A levels I am looking at doing includes a bit of programming and I'd prefer to know at least the basics before starting (if I actually do that A level and even if I don't I just think it'd be cool to know how to program)
Can anyone point me to some good online tutorials or books to get me started?
Anyone have any tips they'd like to share?
I've heard C is a good language to learn, is this true?  What would be the best language for me to start with?
Never done any programming before so any advice is appreciated
Thanks in advance

[Dusty]

Others will scoff but I recommend you start with a high-level language such as QBasic version 4.5.  With no knowledge of programming C and/or C++ can be confusing to a newcomer.  Also QBasic is an interpreted language which is created in an Integrated Development Environment, in other words you can write your program (some checking will be done as you enter each line) and immediately Run it to check the results.  With some other languages you must write your program in a text editor then compile it then run it.

QBasic is widely used in colleges in the USA and UK as a starting level for students.

QBasic tutorials are freely available on the WWW as are many forums dedicated to that language.

QBasic is a DOS based language so some features such as direct line printing are not available when running in the Windows XP Command environment but there are workarounds for most.

Good luck

[ghostdog74]

you can learn to program using Python. Its easy and fun, with lots more stuffs.
http://www.developer.com/open/article.php/625901

[Calum]

Cool, thanks a lot for the advice guys

[DaveLembke]

Thanks Ghostdog74 ... Never knew that Python was FREE, so I never checked into it... Another language to learn... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Rob Pomeroy]

Python, Perl, PHP, Ruby, Quanta, etc, etc.  There are loads of free compilers out there.  It is always a good idea to choose a programming language that  best suits your intended use.  I rarely stray outside of PHP and javascript, since most of my programming is web-related.  If I were fascinated by A.I. however, I'd probably be sticking to something like Prolog.

[Neil]

Visual Basic is good, to create "useful" applications fast. That and a C++ compiler for .NET Express edition can be downloaded for free from Microsoft, suprisingly.

[Calum]

Awesome, thanks a lot all of you.
I'll try and make some time soon to learn some of this then.
Thanks.

[Dilbert]

I too would start with VB, just to get the basic concepts down, then move on to a more complex language.

[Jeronimo_Mc_Kinsley]

If u wanna program ur own games start with

I started with C++ and I like it ]this site[/url] is the best site to start with

I started with C++ and I like it

[Neil]

Obviously not so good with the HTML

[Calum]

Apparently not . . .  

[HTFC_Stevo]

I strongly recommend C# as a starter language.  Microsoft has a free prgramming interface, Visual Studio Express C#, that you can download from their site.

Stevo

[Kiwisue]

I too have just started to learn to program using python.  A gr8 site is python.com  You can download the python program from there too.   Check it out!

[fffreak]

That's a BUMP.

[Calum]

Bump and a half.
Great way to increase your post count, huh?

[Dilbert]

Latest post split into new topic. This one is closed to prevent further bumps/discussion of bumps.