Computer programming basics

[BucNastyHater]

I think this is the right place to post lol. Lately i've been doing a lot of thinking and I want to get into programming. I've build my own computers before and had fun with flagship hardware but when it comes to software problems ive struggled and if I cant fix it then I take the easy way out **windows reformat**. If you want the whole story here it goes: I've been loosing interest in computers since getting out in the real world, having a job, car, girlfriend, etc but ive been getting back into it lately through work. I'm an automotive technician and just got accepted into the BMW STEP program. In school at UTI I asked a lot of questions about why does the car do this when the computer is told this and I get the answer of well its based on what sensor A tells the cars computer. Of course they never got into this deeply as they are not automotive engineers, just techs that repaired cars and didnt design them. Those answers weren't good enough for me and left a void that has yet to have been filled. I know some sensors use digital/analog or ac/dc signals and they got through a converter and then the cars ECU/PCM decodes them blah blah. I know how simple it is to apply electricity to a mechanical component aka fuel pump and have it run, but I find it incredibly fascinating for instance when you get in the car, put it into reverse and the side mirrors tilt toward the ground, or how the injectors are PWM to control Air/fuel ratio. I want to figure out what the computer is exactly doing and whats going on in there to make the decisions it makes besides meeting parameters and the the component doing what it is told.

I had a friend in high school who took classes for Java, C+, C++ all that stuff that sounds like spanish to me basically but I cannot get in touch with him and thought id reach out to the community here. So being a technologically inclined 21 year old, where would be a good place to start with computer programming/computer science? I googled 'computer programming for kids' and it sounds silly but would that be my best bet having no experience with MS DOS or command prompt? I'm not trying to be like "yo lemme hax ur system" or anything, just very curious to see what goes on behind the GUI that makes this so user friendly.


EDIT: Something I also looked into, Lego mindstorms haha. I was amazing at legos but couldnt get into the technics or mindstorms but some videos are youtube of them are incredible. Good point A?

[davidkozat]

Welcome back to the "MATRIX" my friend! Well I know what you mean I never really cared about Software or Programming that much, specially since I worked with mechanical and electronics parts for my job, but when I move from the Technical Support team to R&D I started using C language scripts for Win and UNIX, like Python and LUA, I do some batch scripting but no real programming so far. My advice is that everyone on the PC world should really learn any C language program like C, Java, and scripts this are very useful to diagnostic problems and create tools in different OSes. But it really depends on what YOU are gonna do at your job and how much time you can dedicate yourself to learning. At minimum you should familiarize yourself with Batch and Bash scripting these are super important ways of script programming that everyone will encounter in their lives! Good Luck my friend, and welcome to the Programming World!!

[HuffPCair]

These days it is very simple to learn the basics of anything, just use the internet. I personally just started learning Python, I have a kindle that I just bought a book on. Since I learn way better by doing I also of course practice. Learning a language takes time you will not learn C++ in a week, so it takes time and patients. Before you know it you will be able to write crap you never even thought of much like you can change the oil in a car.

I am pretty sure there are tons of free C++ website teaching you the basics. I personally would never waste money on taking a class for a software language with how much information is available to you from your computer screen.

For car software that I would not even know where to start or what type of language they even use, though for my motorcycle I use a software called TuneECU that allows me to mess with that, but I dont have to worry about anything but fuel and air ratios really. Still fixing a few bugs with my deceleration pop that I have been getting, but still a great little piece of software.

[CrazyNutz]

I'm a programmer / engineer. I've been doing computer & technology related work since the early 90's. I know where your at with this, since I was once there.
C is my language of choice. There is no limit to what you can do with C. Also many other languages are based on the C syntax.

I did not start with C, I started with Basic under DOS, then I moved onto Linux shell script (Bash shell). From there I started learning C under Linux. I can tell you that it does take a lot of time and patience. It's like learning to play a musical instrument, you'll suck at first, however after time, practice, and perseverance you will master it.

As for learning how your car computer works, I would highly suggest you buy a basic stamp kit (micro controller programmed with super easy Basic language), and/or an Arduino kit (programmed with simplified C language). With these micro controllers you will learn programming, and hardware interfacing (i.e. communicating with sensors and such).

The Arduino may be a better choice since it will expose you to the basics of the C syntax, and it has both analog and digital IO.

[BucNastyHater]

Wow thank you very much for the input guys. The internet is where I thought about starting or picking up a book or two at the library and i've heard about those stamp kits. I'll definitely look into it! Any other tips of where or how to get started would be much appreciated

[BucNastyHater]

This is off topic but related, what about networking? I watch shows like 24 and I know its a show and half the stuff is fake but its amazing what can be done with computers. I'm in the same boat with that however so same answer applies? I can find a wireless signal, input the SSID, connect, command prompt using "ipconfig" and access the router through my browser but thats kid stuff lol. Like if you asked me what a packet is or anything beyond an IP address youd get a big blank face from me. any suggestions to pick up a book or just google internet/networking basics? I have to say, anyone who came up with the idea of networking computers was clever but the one who pulled it off is a genius

[HuffPCair]

I am a network engineer actually lol

For books, humm CCNA book might help you learn the basics, a good software is packet tracer which will let you network all types of routers and switches.

Do you understand how binary works? If not that would be the first thing I would personally start with, then move into IP addressing and subnetting. I know several engineers that I embarrass when it comes to subnetting since most have to use a calculator or the likes.

A book I loved and learned how to subnet off of quickly was a book titled IP Subnetting Made Easy by John J Kowalski, I believe there are newer versions out now. I bought it back in like 2008, but it is a great book for that stuff.

[RADCOM]

And me :-) Do programmers call themselves developers nowadays? I have a basic aversion to code, I see a page of xml and my skin starts to crawl, stems from the old days of basic gosub and peek and poke lol. Havin g said that I'd love to learn to programme, I'm doing an open university course in my old age and it involves some sense programming; I really haven't had tme to explorre it properly though. Is C+ or C# hard to learn? what is the easiest way into this fascinating field?

[BucNastyHater]

I know what binary is but not how it works so good idea lol. Ill follow up and see where I am in a few days

[CrazyNutz]

Networking in programming is pretty simple. When your writing code to communicate on a network you typically do this through an interface called sockets.

For example: (This is over simplified, there are more parameters that these functions need)
You would create a socket with int SockFD = socket();
Then connect the socket to another computer with connect(SockFD);
When its connected you can transmit data with read(), and write() calls.

So you do not need to know how to interface with the network directly. The majority of anything hardware related is exposed by the OS to the programmer via API's (application programming interface) such as the "Sockets API" for network programming. In the above example the functions socket(), connect(), are part of the Sockets API.