[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How to Learn to Code for Free here

[GraysonPeddie]

I already have enough knowledge to learn XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, and ASP.net/C#, so I can still develop ASP.net/C# web applications for Linux using MonoDevelop, but I do have the flexibility to use Visual Studio 2010 Professional (that I got from DreamSpark) if I so choose to (I dual boot between Windows and Kubuntu), so that I don't have to learn a new language in Linux.

Of course, there are those who oppose Mono, but me? I'd rather have the best of both worlds.

[xyberviri]

The thing that got me into learning to code was Half-Life 1 and the Software Developers Kit that you could download and a pirated copy of MS Visual Studio 6.

Granted i don’t remember a thing of C++ from back then, but i did go on to learn perl, php and im currently learning Java(not script).

We need more ways to teach kids to code, we need more software developers kits, the #1 thing that prevents people from getting involved in learning to code is the community of Elitist coders.

I started trying to learn java because i wanted to make mods for minecraft. Now getting started with client side modding is a nightmare because of the nature of minecraft and how its code is obfusticated. but if you were to drop into a forum the eleets would say "go back and learn java first"

Now on the server side is Bukkit, which has no obfusticated code, you just drop your .jar file in a directory and away you go. This is what actually made me start learning java, if I didn't understand how to create and array i would google it, if i didn't know what a serializable object was i googled it, I learned how to build my own classes from scratch and them implement them and then extend them.

Because of Half Life and its SDK i started a lifelong love of learning programming languages.

Because of Minecraft i started trying to learn java

Because of my phone i started trying to learn how to develop android apps.

We need less jerks that start a reply with “you need to go back and learn xyz first then come back here”

Video Games are the reason i learned to code, if we spent more time giving kids tools to learn with something that is fun instead of crap no one cares about, I honestly dont give a crap about the presidents the only reason i know the 21 president is Chester A Aurther is because i saw Die Hard, The only reason i know the Hebrew name of God is Yaweh is because i saw Avatar, the only reason i know what AntiMatter is, is because i use to be into star trek.

and StackOverflow.com OMG that is the best community of coders out there. When i had problems grasping OOP and child/parent class relationships i posted a broad questions and some one came in and anwsered exactly what i needed to learn from there.

My Daugther is turning 10 next week, She already knows how to use most of the functions in Gimp on her Ubuntu laptop, I never showed her how to use it, i already have a python for kids book, granted i need to learn python too.

Dont get me started on schools, i never learned anything in a school that i didn't first learn from PBS, the only purpose it served was to refine the knowledge i gained on my own though books, tv and computers.

This post has been edited by xyberviri: 18 April 2012 - 06:34 AM

[PCCoder]

Good article but the coders best friend is Google (or Bing, if that's what floats your boat). Understanding how to look for an example of something similar to what you are trying to do will help enormously in skill development/not punching your screen because of errors.

[stacyvlasits]

Nice article. Wanted to add that Sublime Text 2 is a really nice text editor that you can try for free (forever if you're a jerk) on any platform.

[TumbleweedBiff]

A very useful editor which replaces Notepad and is an excellent coding tool is Crimson Editor / Emerald Editor.

This editor provides code high-lighting and formatting which are of great benefit. It works with a number of languages, including HTML, C, C++, Java, etc., and a custom syntax file can be created to support any other language you desire.

Another helpful feature is the implementation of tabs. While common today, this was not the case back when it was first developed.

See: http://sourceforge.n.../emeraldeditor/

[pocha]

Guess I disagree with most of the guys here but I am not a big fan of learning to code by learning syntax first.

I have learnt Rails not by following Rails for Zombies but by creating a sample blog app from Michael Hartl's course - http://ruby.railstutorial.org/ .

I then went ahead to create a course on Rails myself which is not only result oriented but very newbie centric - http://www.codelearn...s-for-beginners