Where do I start??

ScriptDevil · 2006-05-17 05:01:18

I love programming thogh i never went to formal classes for it. I bought myself a Java Book, (read it fully) Read Python Documentation online and C,C++ by bruceeckel.
Just the basics of all(probably upto file input output)
I liked Java and python & the way they were used.
Now I am in a state of dazed mixed-up-ness.
I want to make applications for the open source community. I know that there are already many worthy sets of software. I understood that the only way of learning to write bigger progs was to read previous efforts.
I took up pyburn from judd's page first->easy. Just the start i wanted.
I tried pacman ->EEK... So many files where do i start. starting from pacman .c does not make sense. It called for functions in other progs which inturn called for other methods.
I was confused. Where do i start reding the pacman source. I read pacman 1.0 it was easy to comprehend. But pacman 2.x was well... MindBoggling
Also one more small doubt,
IfI have to serve the OpenSource community. Whixch language do I learn??

drakosha · 2006-05-17 05:39:07

I think the question is what kind of applicateions are you planning to develop?

ScriptDevil · 2006-05-17 05:47:31

i am planning to create stuff people can use in desktops like a text editor with highlighting,
It should be with bith curses and gtk,wxwidgets etc.
Aslo i would like it if network was allowed in the language like in java, python.
Where do i start stood for not only which language but from which part of the program

rasat · 2006-05-17 05:49:04

Myself being a self learner in programming and had difficult to learn other than Bash and PHP, Ruby with Libglade gave a new extension to my programming.
(PkgInfo latest development)
http://www.archlinux.org/blog/

Ruby - Glade
http://www.user-contributions.org/wikis … y-Libglade

drakosha · 2006-05-17 05:53:46

I'd read an application which i'm not familiar with from top to bottom (i.e. from main function). Do not dive in all the functions - get the general image and then dive in branches you are interested in.
There are three options to start as i see it:
1. Java
2. C and then C++
3. Script language (Python, Ruby, etc)
There are advantages and disadvantages to all three starts .
Java is limiting but nice language, C/C++ will cause you to really understand what's going on behind the surface but are harder to learn and script language will get you starting fast... The decision is up to you.

phrakture · 2006-05-17 15:47:57

When reading code, I tend to follow application flow. I typically generate a tag file and use vim to jump around when following the flow.

FUBAR · 2006-05-17 17:55:32

I'll be an ICT bachelor in a few months and at school we're thaught Java a lot. Which is why I like it so much. I also had some C++ but I don't like it as much, because it doesn't throw you a nice error message explaining everything when something goes wrong.

phrakture · 2006-05-17 18:04:58

FUBAR wrote:

I also had some C++ but I don't like it as much, because it doesn't throw you a nice error message explaining everything when something goes wrong.

It does, they're just hidden in fluff. Try this: http://www.bdsoft.com/tools/stlfilt.html

edit: now that I think of it, that needs a package... I'll add it later

Dusty · 2006-05-17 20:38:20

FTR, this isn't really a new question. It comes up periodically. Its a really personal issue, what language you use, and you can only try the options and find one that makes you feel good. Check these discussions and google for more insights and the occasional flame:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=7189
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=20231

Dusty

syamajala · 2006-05-17 22:35:44

i voted for ruby because it seems like a good language for a person that knows oop. i was able to pick it up in 15 minutes. never actually wrote anything with it though.

Bison · 2006-05-28 02:58:00

I voted for python...but it doesn't really matter.

I think that it mostly depends on personal preference. Just pick one, and go with it, and then learn a new one if you want to. Eventually You'll have a list of things you hate and love about each language.

Arch Linux

#1 2006-05-17 05:01:18

Where do I start??

#2 2006-05-17 05:39:07

Re: Where do I start??

#3 2006-05-17 05:47:31

Re: Where do I start??

#4 2006-05-17 05:49:04

Re: Where do I start??

#5 2006-05-17 05:53:46

Re: Where do I start??

#6 2006-05-17 15:47:57

Re: Where do I start??

#7 2006-05-17 17:55:32

Re: Where do I start??

#8 2006-05-17 18:04:58

Re: Where do I start??

#9 2006-05-17 20:38:20

Re: Where do I start??

#10 2006-05-17 22:35:44

Re: Where do I start??

#11 2006-05-28 02:58:00

Re: Where do I start??

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