Who does computer programming?

I will be doing some programming subjects in my upcoming semester at university (I think I'm learning Java). I haven't done much programming before so I'm wondering what's it like to be a computer programmer? and what experiences have you had when you first learned programming.

Also any advice would be great too.

Thanks

I'm a .NET developer, but know some Java. Java is a good starting point for object-oriented programming since it's versatile, but there are some funky things about it. From my experiences, learning a programming language really comes down to how good your teacher is. I had a really lousy Java professor and hated it, but then I took more classes with a much better professor and learned a ton. Expect lots of headaches and trial and error at first, though...Actually, I take that back, it's not just at first *shakes fist*spazzx625

lol yeah I have heard that it can be quite frustrating

I'm kind of surprised that they're starting you off with Java. They started us off with Visual Basic (I hate VB... it's irrational, but it's there), then moved us on to C++ and Java.

Personally, I love it. It's like assembling a puzzle from pieces you create yourself. There's no better feeling in the world than getting a program you wrote to run as it's intended to run (well, except for... you know :P...).

Is this something you are considering going into? Or is it part of a larger curriculum?spazzx625

Im doing bachelor of computer science and programming plays a big part in it

I'm kind of surprised that they're starting you off with Java. They started us off with Visual Basic (I hate VB... it's irrational, but it's there), then moved us on to C++ and Java.

Personally, I love it. It's like assembling a puzzle from pieces you create yourself. There's no better feeling in the world than getting a program you wrote to run as it's intended to run (well, except for... you know :P...).

OrkHammer007

I do. I learned Java when I was 12, so I have quite a bit of experience. Let me tell you, video tutorials do work, I didn't think so at first, but it is a great way to learn programming.chrisPperson

I'll keep that in mind, thanks

I did C# for a little while in college, I was rubbish at it :P

I program in SQL... not sure if that counts.

I program in SQL... not sure if that counts.

Atmanix

[QUOTE="Atmanix"]

I program in SQL... not sure if that counts.

spazzx625

:( But I program... on a computer!

I'm majoring in compter science, but I haven't taken a programming class yet (in my 2nd semester at college). :? Hopefully I don't hate it...

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="Atmanix"]

I program in SQL... not sure if that counts.

Atmanix

:( But I program... on a computer!

I know: VB 6, C, C++, Java, Python, HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and Ajax.

So yes, yes I do. :P

[QUOTE="Atmanix"]

[QUOTE="spazzx625"] No! :xspazzx625

:( But I program... on a computer!

No... You really don't want to. It drives you insane really quickly. :P

[QUOTE="Atmanix"]

[QUOTE="spazzx625"] No! :xspazzx625

:( But I program... on a computer!

I have to admit, it is a pretty simple language. I taught myself in a few months and then got a job. I know some HTML too but that's even simpler, especially since they bought me Dreamweaver anyway to maintain our website.

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="Atmanix"]

:( But I program... on a computer!

Mercury_May2112

No... You really don't want to. It drives you insane really quickly. :P

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="Atmanix"]

:( But I program... on a computer!

Mercury_May2112

No... You really don't want to. It drives you insane really quickly. :P

I have my days. I don't have much experience with other languages but SQL is more about logic than anything else. It is easy to get lost in sub-queries after a while.

I am a .NET winforms dev (c# and vb). It is sometimes a boring job. Sometimes it is exciting. It all depends on what the job is, and how much pressure is on you to do it.

Java is decent. I don't like it, but hey, to each his/her own. I learned how to program on a UNIX system using VI editor, gcc, and c++. Classic!

[QUOTE="Mercury_May2112"]

[QUOTE="spazzx625"] No! :x I wish I could work exclusively with SQL...So much less stressful...spazzx625

No... You really don't want to. It drives you insane really quickly. :P

Have you ever done work with T-SQL? We use that here...I actually enjoy it, as it is like programming with SQL.

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="Atmanix"]

:( But I program... on a computer!

Atmanix

I have to admit, it is a pretty simple language. I taught myself in a few months and then got a job. I know some HTML too but that's even simpler, especially since they bought me Dreamweaver anyway to maintain our website.

Ahem. For the record, anyone that says they "program" in sql, html, or any other computer "toy", really pisses off actual devs that know REAL programming. That is what Spazz was trying to tell you with "No". When someone tells me they "code in HTML", I just think...how cute.

Have you ever done work with T-SQL? We use that here...I actually enjoy it, as it is like programming with SQL.

UltimoIce

[QUOTE="Atmanix"]

[QUOTE="spazzx625"] No! :x I wish I could work exclusively with SQL...So much less stressful...UltimoIce

I have to admit, it is a pretty simple language. I taught myself in a few months and then got a job. I know some HTML too but that's even simpler, especially since they bought me Dreamweaver anyway to maintain our website.

Ahem. For the record, anyone that says they "program" in sql, html, or any other computer "toy", really pisses off actual devs that know REAL programming. That is what Spazz was trying to tell you with "No". When someone tells me they "code in HTML", I just think...how cute.

Wow, way to be an elitist.

I know what Spazz meant, and I know that SQL and HTML are relatively simple languages to learn. I wouldn't consider my work "cute" though. I can't give you any specific examples but what I do is more involved than select * from table.

Ahem. For the record, anyone that says they "program" in sql, html, or any other computer "toy", really pisses off actual devs that know REAL programming. That is what Spazz was trying to tell you with "No". When someone tells me they "code in HTML", I just think...how cute.

No, not really. I delved a little bit into C++ but can't do much coding in general. For all those programmers here, what applications have you made?tsduv21

I am lead product engineer for a content management company (our core product is web based...I don't do any work on that...only our products and a little on our object model). Actually, a lot of you probably use my stuff, as we are in a lot of big name locations, such as the casinos in Las Vegas, Goodwill, tons of hospitals, Upper Deck, even some state governments. We have a huge client list, so people assume we are this huge company with 500 employees. I think a lot of our client base would be surprised that we only house about 25 people company-wide haha.

[QUOTE="UltimoIce"]

[QUOTE="Atmanix"]

I have to admit, it is a pretty simple language. I taught myself in a few months and then got a job. I know some HTML too but that's even simpler, especially since they bought me Dreamweaver anyway to maintain our website.

Atmanix

Ahem. For the record, anyone that says they "program" in sql, html, or any other computer "toy", really pisses off actual devs that know REAL programming. That is what Spazz was trying to tell you with "No". When someone tells me they "code in HTML", I just think...how cute.

Wow, way to be an elitist.

I know what Spazz meant, and I know that SQL and HTML are relatively simple languages to learn. I wouldn't consider my work "cute" though. I can't give you any specific examples but what I do is more involved than select * from table.

You missed my point. HTML and SQL are not languages. They have a purpose, but that purpose is nowhere near the word "programming". Networking maybe.

[QUOTE="OrkHammer007"]

I'm kind of surprised that they're starting you off with Java. They started us off with Visual Basic (I hate VB... it's irrational, but it's there), then moved us on to C++ and Java.

Personally, I love it. It's like assembling a puzzle from pieces you create yourself. There's no better feeling in the world than getting a program you wrote to run as it's intended to run (well, except for... you know :P...).

spazzx625

You missed my point. HTML and SQL are not languages. They have a purpose, but that purpose is nowhere near the word "programming". Networking maybe.

[QUOTE="OrkHammer007"]

I'm kind of surprised that they're starting you off with Java. They started us off with Visual Basic (I hate VB... it's irrational, but it's there), then moved us on to C++ and Java.

Personally, I love it. It's like assembling a puzzle from pieces you create yourself. There's no better feeling in the world than getting a program you wrote to run as it's intended to run (well, except for... you know :P...).

spazzx625

You do know that VB.Net and C# are almost identical right? Only difference is, VB is faster to develop in, and handles typless objects and (in my opinion) casting a lot better. I use both, but there are literally programs that are free online that can translate one syntax to the other without any errors.

I'm kind of surprised that they're starting you off with Java. They started us off with Visual Basic (I hate VB... it's irrational, but it's there), then moved us on to C++ and Java.

Personally, I love it. It's like assembling a puzzle from pieces you create yourself. There's no better feeling in the world than getting a program you wrote to run as it's intended to run (well, except for... you know :P...).

OrkHammer007

[QUOTE="UltimoIce"]

You missed my point. HTML and SQL are not languages. They have a purpose, but that purpose is nowhere near the word "programming". Networking maybe.

Engrish_Major

Well, I suppose it's how you define language. I wouldn't consider them a language, but I may just be splitting hairs.

Well, I suppose it's how you define language. I wouldn't consider them a language, but I may just be splitting hairs.

[QUOTE="spazzx625"][QUOTE="OrkHammer007"]

I'm kind of surprised that they're starting you off with Java. They started us off with Visual Basic (I hate VB... it's irrational, but it's there), then moved us on to C++ and Java.

Personally, I love it. It's like assembling a puzzle from pieces you create yourself. There's no better feeling in the world than getting a program you wrote to run as it's intended to run (well, except for... you know :P...).

UltimoIce

You do know that VB.Net and C# are almost identical right? Only difference is, VB is faster to develop in, and handles typless objects and (in my opinion) casting a lot better. I use both, but there are literally programs that are free online that can translate one syntax to the other without any errors.

Well, I suppose it's how you define language. I wouldn't consider them a language, but I may just be splitting hairs.

You do know that VB.Net and C# are almost identical right? Only difference is, VB is faster to develop in, and handles typless objects and (in my opinion) casting a lot better. I use both, but there are literally programs that are free online that can translate one syntax to the other without any errors.

UltimoIce

yeah at school, we use visual basic.net

but i'm not so good though :( because i don't do much lol, i think i really should start working for it

[QUOTE="UltimoIce"]

You do know that VB.Net and C# are almost identical right? Only difference is, VB is faster to develop in, and handles typless objects and (in my opinion) casting a lot better. I use both, but there are literally programs that are free online that can translate one syntax to the other without any errors.

spazzx625

Yeah, VB, as it was known originally, is kind of a toy. That's why a lot of people don't take VB.net seriously these days. However, I like it better than C#. I can develop in half the time due to better MVS intellisense and more flowing and relaxed syntax.

Like right now, I'm writing a shell that runs plugins, where the plugins load other plugins (which a third party user can develop themselves). The main program is VB, the plugin is VB, but my interfaces and plugin-plugins are C#. The C# portion is the smaller piece, but is taking longer than the rest of the product.

Come to me if you need java help. Maybe come to me if you need c++, I learned C++ in like 3 weeks ahahaha. Mainly due to the fact I was rather experienced with java, C++ I have gaping holes of knowledge, but I still know the important stuff, dynamic memory, pointers, and stuff. I very much dislike working with it because of different libraries different operating systems have. Therefore all my programs are meant to be run in Linux, not Windows... and then porting them is like hell..

I will be honest, when I first learned java I wasn't totally hawt about it, I mean I got confused... Didn't understand why we needed other files for clases and got confused by something like
Infant j = new Infant("Harry", 5);

That would be assuming Infant is a different clases I was like WHY DO I NEED DIS. Then I realized that it was totally awesome. Then transitioning to a language like C++ where a lot of the times people just make one GIANT huge file is bizarre to me.

I took AP java in HS, and like it gets fun once you understand what you are actually doing ^^.

Programming in something like C++ awakens you to how much java hides from you, by that I mean how everything is like a pointer in java, except you never need to know that. I love Java most of all because the applications run ANYWHERE. It's also getting quite fast now. A lot of insane programmers, and by that I mean programmers who program in VIM dislike java due to its ease of use and awesome IDEs... which I find odd, I am not that much of an elitist. I mean I don't think I could ever see myself programming in VIM. I mean small projects sure, giant group project I would kill myself first.

(Why the hell does gamespot block the word clas(s) does it really think I'm trying to spell arse??!?!?) See TC, this is the example of a fail forum design. Buggy as hell.)

Oh and if you are not going to read this giant thing, just remember it always sucks at first :)

thanks jigglywiggly, i'll pm you if I need any programming advice.

I'm currently doing programming, "intermediate"... not sure how since I failed the introductory part...

But I am having a very difficult time. Last semester, and this semester too, the teachers are basically telling us what we need to know and then more or less expecting us to figure it out on our own, which would be fine if I knew wtf I was doing in the first place. Sadly for me other students seem to have a grasp of it and I don't. I try asking for help from both teachers and students, but neither is doing a good job.

Now normally I'd put this down to a bad/dumb student (me), but quite frankly the "Help" is very apathetic and I'm just finding that I'm not getting the help *I* need, and the teachers nor the students can provide that leaving me in the dark.

I'm currently doing programming, "intermediate"... not sure how since I failed the introductory part...

But I am having a very difficult time. Last semester, and this semester too, the teachers are basically telling us what we need to know and then more or less expecting us to figure it out on our own, which would be fine if I knew wtf I was doing in the first place. Sadly for me other students seem to have a grasp of it and I don't. I try asking for help from both teachers and students, but neither is doing a good job.

Now normally I'd put this down to a bad/dumb student (me), but quite frankly the "Help" is very apathetic and I'm just finding that I'm not getting the help *I* need, and the teachers nor the students can provide that leaving me in the dark.

DigitalExile

The bad news is that learning a programming language is probably less than half the task: you also have to learn the APIs (application programming interfaces) that you need to write a nontrivial program.

For example: If you want to write a fully-fledged Windows game, you have to study not only a language such as C++, but also at least the relevant parts of Win32, Direct3D (or OpenGL), DirectInput, DirectSound, etc.

But the good news is that learning all these things can be a lot fun! Approach it with a positive attitude and you should find yourself enjoying it. :)