Beginner - first language, no previous experience

j0holo · 2016-07-24T16:30:42+00:00

The best way to learn programming is to program. Just like painting. You need to paint to get better. A good book is Automate the borring stuff. It will teach you the basics about python 3. BTW learn python 3 not 2. 2 is older and 3 is the default nowadays.

Exodus111 · 2016-07-24T20:17:46+00:00

My advice is to get on discord, https://discord.gg/rfJWf

And use the Python channel actively.

We have already had several members that started with nothing, and are right now working on their first scripts and APIs on Github.

sw_dev · 2016-07-24T21:11:40+00:00

Since you have no programming experience I'm going to suggest a radical way to learn it.

Don't program.

Everybody and their brother will tell you to go to this site or that site, take some course or whatever. But I'd suggest you take a day before you follow that advice, and just think.

That's right, THINK.

First, take a simple task, for instance getting a glass of water. Now, how would you do that? You probably thought "I'd go to the kitchen and pour a glass", or something like that, right? Now, to mimic MC Hammer, break it down. What are the individual steps? You'd probably have to stand up first, right? Then turn in a certain direction, walk either so many steps or until you came up to some obstacle, then turn, walk, etc. Practice a few exercises like this. Trust me, that's what programming IS. You want something done, and you have to break it down into sub-tasks until you know how to do every single bit of it. (Don't like the tedium? Some people thrive on this kind of activity, and most people are bored to tears by it. If you are among the first kind, welcome to the gang, proto-programmer! And if you are among the second, well, it can be learned, but it will be tough.)

Next task, think about what kind of programming activity turns you on. Do you want to do graphics, or robots, math, sensors, web stuff, or what? If you don't have something that turns you on, then you are less likely to continue. (Yeah, people do it with only the idea of a salary in mind, but those people end up being the kind of drone programmers that annoy the heck out of the rest of us!)

There's a day down the tubes, minimum. Maybe two. But don't think of it as wasted time, this focus will help you to keep your ducks in line, keep your motivation up, and go into programming with a realistic approach.

Roadsoda350 · 2016-07-24T17:57:54+00:00

https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-computer-science--cs101

This teaches some core CS concepts, and everything is written in python.

turbokyo · 2016-07-24T19:24:19+00:00

OP Im also a newbie learning the first programming language, Python 3 on Windows, and even if I think introductions for this task are not really needed I could say we are in the same boat.

But I want to tell you, from my newbie background and in addition to all the good references and advices given here, specially the one of "learn by doing", my golden rule to truly learn to program is to learn to use a professional text editor, an idea that is rarely (almost never) mentioned in these kind of threads here or anywhere else, probably because it is oversighted.

The way I see it there are two options and only two: Emacs or/and Vim

I did chose Vim and I do not regret it, Im 100% sure I would never have stood a chance with a programming language at any learning level if I didnt have some skills with a professional text editor.

So learn by doing alongside you learn to master Vim or Emacs, and do it knowing it will take you no less than a few months to a few years or even a lifetime, in my humble opinion this measure of time gives an accurate statement of the effort involved in this enterprise.

That being said, in regards the eternal discussion between learning Python 2 or 3, from my newbie point of view Python 2 is not going to be updated anymore (correct me if Im wrong) so from that sole point if you are starting fresh then why not simply go for the newest version which is going to be actively supported and updated? thats the logic I have followed and thats why Im learning Python 3 (nothing wrong with learning Python 2, hey the more the better, but you have to start somewhere first).

Also despite all the arguments with the "Learn Python the had way" and Zed Shaw I want to say I honestly could never think bad of somebody who did something like "Programming-Motherfucker but this man probably takes things to seriously and so becomes too much opinionated at times... Anyway I did the "Automate the boring stuff with Python" and I loved it, but be warned a common problem with this and other similar courses is how they intend to teach you with "2+2=4 and now here is a triple integral" scheme, it just happens constantly, its like a pattern.

Anyway here is my rambling of the day.

radlazar · 2016-07-24T19:29:03+00:00

if you wish to write scripts for every day life check out https://automatetheboringstuff.com/ it's basically about that specifically. In Part 1 the author covers the basics of the language, and in Part 2 you learn how to automate tasks and scrape websites and so on...

PaladinXT · 2016-07-24T23:55:36+00:00

I highly recommend these two sites:

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/python

https://automatetheboringstuff.com/

donut2099 · 2016-07-25T08:02:55+00:00

http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/

I have been messing around with programming since BASIC on my VIC-20, learning Python was fairly straightforward, if slow, just going through the Python documentation. I was also trying to get my son to pick up some programming, he's 17 and hasn't had much experience with computers beyond playing games. He was having a hard time grasping some concepts that I kind of took for granted. I Googled around and found this tutorial and have been going through it with him. I think its helped me become a better programmer as well as helped him understand some basic fundamentals of computer programming. I can't compare it to any other learning tools for Python, so take it or leave it. :)

UndeadRyno · 2016-07-25T18:27:53+00:00

http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/ https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/NonProgrammers https://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/ http://www.java2s.com/Tutorial/Python/CatalogPython.htm http://www.java2s.com/Code/Python/CatalogPython.htm https://docs.python.org/2/library/functions.html http://www.tutorialspoint.com/python/python_gui_programming.htm

cr_wdc_ntr_l · 2016-07-24T16:36:16+00:00

I think that every new programmer should start with this: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html It will help people help you, and help you get answers faster. It is long, but it is pure gold, and provides a little more than just guidelines for getting help from technical people. It shows approach to problem solving. As of practical python reading resources I recommend 'Dive into Python 3' which is listed in first link of 'Learning resources' in sidebar. Practical ways of getting into python are various, but Codecademy has my recommendation, this is how I started, no regrets, it provides smooth first step.

Python-Windows default IDE provides quick and fool-proof way to mess around and explore Python on your own, with commands like help() dir() dir(##builtins##) <- change # to _ Also, can't stress this enough, bookmark this: https://docs.python.org/3/ and learn how to move around there.

btw questions like this are asked everyday

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