So finally after weeks of delay I am back.
Now that we know what computers do and why we need to talk to them, it is now time to get started with our translator of choice. Python is a basic computer language that is comparable to the common heard of, less known Java. While there are many different versions of each language, we will just be using Python 3.1 which is available for free right from their website. www.python.org.
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Ok well hopefully you have gone there and looked for the latest free download version. If you have any questions at this point feel free to leave a comment or email me. Following their website should do the trick.
Once downloaded, it is now time to install and save this file to your computer. Again, follow the same steps as any file that is downloaded online.
Now don't get too antsy. This is a critical step, but for those following along at home, I will be back tomorrow so we can get started!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Some things about computers....
To better understand how to program, you must first know what your computer does. When you write a program you send a message to the computer which than translates it to things known as bytes which are just 1's and 0's. In between these two steps there are many things that take place which will be touched on later, but 1's and 0's are the essence of how a computer runs and how we can make these machines do what we want.
A computer is just a collection of electrical circuits that fire off images onto a monitor. They do this and internal calculations as well by a continuous stream of the simple answer yes or no. 1 represents yes while 0 is of course the opposite. This is the basic of any computer running. By programming, you are essentially putting English words into a translator and it then converts them to bytes for the computer to read and then act on. While a programmer does not need to know this, helping to understand this basic concept will allow for the learning at hand to not be so daunting. All programming is on a basic level is learning a new language so that you too can talk to your computer.
A computer is just a collection of electrical circuits that fire off images onto a monitor. They do this and internal calculations as well by a continuous stream of the simple answer yes or no. 1 represents yes while 0 is of course the opposite. This is the basic of any computer running. By programming, you are essentially putting English words into a translator and it then converts them to bytes for the computer to read and then act on. While a programmer does not need to know this, helping to understand this basic concept will allow for the learning at hand to not be so daunting. All programming is on a basic level is learning a new language so that you too can talk to your computer.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Hello World!
If you are reading this page you are on the internet. Congratulations! You have completed the first step in learning computer programming. This is of course the vital step of having a computer and turning it on.
When I first wanted to learn programming most sites start with the language and little to no support along the way. To understand these walk-throughs one had to have help along the way or at least some knowledge to begin. This site is designed for those who have enough to knowledge to take only the first step and do not know where to turn after that.
On a weekly basis I will upload the steps to learn about programming from the point of view of someone who started with no knowledge. If you have no computer experience this is the place to start!
Useful Links:
http://www.python.org/
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/forum114.html?gclid=CMmkyfO7mKACFYha2god52PydQ#
http://docs.python.org/tutorial/
When I first wanted to learn programming most sites start with the language and little to no support along the way. To understand these walk-throughs one had to have help along the way or at least some knowledge to begin. This site is designed for those who have enough to knowledge to take only the first step and do not know where to turn after that.
On a weekly basis I will upload the steps to learn about programming from the point of view of someone who started with no knowledge. If you have no computer experience this is the place to start!
Useful Links:
http://www.python.org/
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/forum114.html?gclid=CMmkyfO7mKACFYha2god52PydQ#
http://docs.python.org/tutorial/
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