Programming and Computer Science resources? | INFJ Forum

Programming and Computer Science resources?

Terracraft

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Jun 17, 2019
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What has changed the way you think in programming/thinking terms?
What are the most useful and important concepts to grasp fundamentally?
What are your favorite books, podcasts, videos on the topics?
Do you have any tips for working with, comprehending and learning programming?
What are your must haves?
 
Hello Terracraft,

I don't know how many programmers you'll find on this forum, but let me take a stab at it!

I started programming a long time ago and I think most of the material I have would be way too niche to make as any broad suggestions, it also depends on what field you'd start out with. One good source I liked when I started was the youtube channel TheNewBoston on C++, but on this my suggestion would be to just take any good multi-part tutorial on any programming language or concept you want to learn better. There are many good youtube tutorials out there if you just search a bit, and it's a good way to quickly get your feet wet.

My general tips is to find an area that you find interesting to pursue. An old math teacher told me this once, and I very much agree with the sentiment - If you want to become good at math, then find what is fun in it. The people who make it are the ones who are driven. The same very much applies to programming, and for me this was making games and graphics programming.

My second tip is that programming skills generally translate well between various fields and languages. Don't feel worried about changing programming languages, what you learn in one language translates extremely well into other languages.

Lastly, programming is a long journey, but it's a very worthwhile one at that.

Must haves - friends, and a burning passion
 
Hello Terracraft,

Must haves - friends, and a burning passion

What are these "friends" you speak of?

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I'm not sure what you're looking for here. "Programming" is a very generalized term, often overused. I've known QA folk who were programmers, Chip designers who were programmers, deep level infrastructure engineers who were deemed programmers. All too often companies, and the government, slap a label on employees that does not fit what they do. The label is usually used to determine a lower pay rate. #dirtytricksofthetrade.

Are you just asking about the process of learning to code, how to code well, what sort of future it holds, or are you already a programmer in some capacity and are looking to connect with others and expand your resources?
 
I'm not sure what you're looking for here. "Programming" is a very generalized term, often overused. I've known QA folk who were programmers, Chip designers who were programmers, deep level infrastructure engineers who were deemed programmers. All too often companies, and the government, slap a label on employees that does not fit what they do. The label is usually used to determine a lower pay rate. #dirtytricksofthetrade.

Are you just asking about the process of learning to code, how to code well, what sort of future it holds, or are you already a programmer in some capacity and are looking to connect with others and expand your resources?

I see what you mean, you can specialize in different areas and people do different things as well as other people's perspectives can be varyingly different.
The people on the opposite side of what you do/believe in.
Process of learning to code and how to code well, you could say.
I think that networking is important, but there's also the skill of being able to work with many different kinds of people as well as working with people above your skill level.
 
Hello Terracraft,

I don't know how many programmers you'll find on this forum, but let me take a stab at it!

I started programming a long time ago and I think most of the material I have would be way too niche to make as any broad suggestions, it also depends on what field you'd start out with. One good source I liked when I started was the youtube channel TheNewBoston on C++, but on this my suggestion would be to just take any good multi-part tutorial on any programming language or concept you want to learn better. There are many good youtube tutorials out there if you just search a bit, and it's a good way to quickly get your feet wet.

My general tips is to find an area that you find interesting to pursue. An old math teacher told me this once, and I very much agree with the sentiment - If you want to become good at math, then find what is fun in it. The people who make it are the ones who are driven. The same very much applies to programming, and for me this was making games and graphics programming.

My second tip is that programming skills generally translate well between various fields and languages. Don't feel worried about changing programming languages, what you learn in one language translates extremely well into other languages.

Lastly, programming is a long journey, but it's a very worthwhile one at that.

Must haves - friends, and a burning passion

I agree very much with those points, thank you for putting them into words ^^
It can be quite a balancing act to avoid overburdening yourself It feels like. To have a state of flow when you're learning and doing it, optimal zone of learning as well.
You learn with pushing yourself too, and yeah if you have a interest in something it's quite probable if you stick to it you will pick up the skills to do what you want to do.
I find that C++ and learning about how the hardware functions but like those things which are in common, they seem to be fundamentals. They translate quite well as concepts too.
I find that problem solving (thinking about how to go on about solving your problems, and what you do in-case if they don't work) as well as reverse engineering the thoughts in your head or on paper must be a big part of it too?
Uncle Bob has some good ideas for doing good code. Good practices make me happy I think.
Can graphics programming be a bit tedious, since I'd imagine you'd be repeating procedures and things like that?
I find it cool to go through all the kinds of things people do and well using those things because they provide value.

Perhaps a bit off-topic, but do you have good ideas to make yourself to stick to something and be able to be productive. The mind really likes to distract itself and it can be difficult sometimes. How could I say in a sense to cheat myself into working consistently?
 
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What has changed the way you think in programming/thinking terms?
What are the most useful and important concepts to grasp fundamentally?
What are your favorite books, podcasts, videos on the topics?
Do you have any tips for working with, comprehending and learning programming?
What are your must haves?
Eric Steven Raymond's "How To Become A Hacker" article found at http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html never fails in it's clarity and helpfulness. I first read this back in, I think, 2010, and I still take tips and inspiration from it. Key points:
  • Learn how to program.[I recommend python or javascript to start]
  • Get one of the open-source Unixes and learn to use and run it.[I recommend GNU/Linux, like Debian or Fedora]
  • Learn how to use the World Wide Web and write HTML.
  • If you don't have functional English, learn it.
 
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This may be a little off-topic but I have a web based java project that a guy on freelancer was helping me make (its super simple), we got 90% done and then he disappeared. Anyone want to help me finish a java web calculator for some $$. I can paypal or crypto.
 
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I switched careers (engineer to programming) around 1999 up until 2014. I wouldn't say I was a strong programmer, but anyway. For the work I did, I almost exclusively programmed in Perl, which I know has lost a lot of luster and Python has bigtime overtaken it.

Anyway, a couple things I really liked was use of nested hash data structures which is real easy in Perl and the same hash can contain variables of any type. The other was using pointers and having the program basically be the creation of 2-3 data structures (for what I had to do which were not massive programs) and a list of subroutines where all that is being passed are pointers to the data structures needed.

That was nice and elegant.

I did one program that required recursion. That was interesting. It was the only way to go and I am far from real capable in terms of quickly doing up recursive logic. It was cool though.

By the way, I worked exclusively in the unix space with some linux thrown in. Yeah, definitely prefer unix/linux.

Finally, makes too much sense not to start with Python.
 
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