GP32 How Long Did It Take You To Learn C++?

[Jengo]

Well, i dont really know how long it takes to learn C++, im just taking my time and trying to learn this as best i can (its my first programming language).

How long did it take you to learn your preffered language? Did you struggle? Did you learn from a book or school or what? Why did you learn? What level of skill do you rate yourself as? (1 to 10, 10 being highest 1 is lowest). And finally, do you enjoy programming?

Thanks guys, sorry for all the questions, dont answer them if you dont want to, im just basically doing this to get to know you guys and so other people can get to know you.

 

[Hanz™]

What do you mean. Nobody ever finishes refining their programming, you can always improve. Although I believe that you could learn C++ in 6 months or so.

 

[reaper79]

I think it takes a good long while to fully learn your first language throughly, and by that I mean ALL aspects and programming options. It depends on what your prgramming, if you are a niche programmer, it is easier and faster such as database programming versus OS programming versus I/O programming. Everything combined takes awhile. I also think that learning a second language is a LOT harder, but after that 3rd and 4th languages get easier and easier.

If you learned VB first, then learning C++ second will be REALLY hard, but then larning Pascal, Java, or PHP will be a breeze after that. Just some thoughts on my own experience.

Cheers!

 

[Jengo]

how did you guys learn? From books?

 

[reaper79]

I learned to program through a number of routes; trial an error, books, teaching. I started out when I was young programming in QBasic after having learned to script batch files in DOS. For that it was trial and error and I read the documentation quite heavily. Then in school I look programming as an elective and learned a bit of GWBasic (line numbers anyone?) and Turbo Pascal. After that it was on to a university where my first degree required me to learn Visual Basic, HTML, Javascript, and CGI/Perl. My next degree I learned A LOT of C, C++, and C# along with dread COBOL. Finally, I've just been going through and learning PHP for my site as I need to. I'd have to say I like web programming most of all, since it is sort of fun making all the various scripting languages interact with each other. At my job, I use a specialized language called SIMPLE++, which I use for programmable multimedia controllers.

As for learning it, you just have to stick with it and learn everything you need to. It helps to know why your coding something, and the machine(s) your coding it for. It isn't as useful if you only learn something abstractly, you need to conceptualize.

Have fun.

 

[stupid]

your first language is always the hardest. I learned Scheme which was worthless, but it made me understand programming as a whole. C++ shouldnt be too hard to learn first, my first higher level language was similar (Java). but the only way I have found to learn is to get a few books, get an idea of a program you want to write and chug away... For me it has always been easiest to do trial and error, you will never learn the little quirks if you are just reading about programming... Good luck-I recommend Dummies books for beginners!

 

[xafier]

I started with Basic on my 486... just reading code and playing around (at like age 10)... at about 13 i was playing with C++ reading from a book... but fed up when I got to pointers...

at 16 I was learning Pascal and Delphi and learnt quite a bit of that, then went back to C++...

haven't mastered any language, probably never will... but I think if you can think logically you can pick up any language... the fundamentals of programming are the same for most languages, you've got if's and fors and whiles etc... you have similar variable types, int, float, double, boolean

I've programmed in Basic, VB, C, C++, Pascal, Delphi, Java and C#
I've scripted in PHP and Perl

You can learn the basics of C/C++ in a day... pointers and arrays will take a little longer...

the hardest thing with C++ will probably be getting your head around object orientated programming, it took me a while to get my head round it, still not sure if I'm a fan of OO as I find it can get rather confusing at times... but seen as I'm programming in C# constantly now I really dont have a choice

The best way to learn is to get a good book to reference and pick something to write and write it, learn what you need to learn to complete the task.. then pick something else, preferably that entails something new, perhaps database handling, or file handling, or some complex algorithms... just keep pushing

 

[iignotus]

I didn't grow up with computers in my house or anything. I wish I had the luxury of something like growing up with a Commodore64. I got into programming a year or so after the purchase of my computer in 2000. I initially tried to learn Java as my first language, but gave up a while after starting; not due to frustration, per se -- I just didn't have enough of a background in maths or computers at that time to continue learning it. Afterwards, I learned Perl to a usable level, and to a lesser degree, Pascal, by 2003, then took a break from programming. In 2004, I started learning C and C++, and got them together in about 4 months and started writing some GUI applications. I learned PHP in about two weeks this past August, and I'm learning Python and OCaml now, as well as exploring SDL.

 

[junker]

i'm trying to learn c++ now myself
hopefully it won't be too time consuming..

 

[BBTroll]

I took JavaScript is High School, then C++, then JAVA. I learned PHP for random web development, PERL to script in an IRC client. Now I'm back to C in college. And I use ASP.NET (using VB.NET) for my job.

JavaScript is a great language to start on. It give you a hand on a C-like syntax without the pains of C(strict types, points, etc.). MUCH better than learning with pseudocode(like my college tried to do).

btw, pointers can be a pain to learn, but they are very useful in the long run.

 

[xafier]

JavaScript is a great language to start on. It give you a hand on a C-like syntax without the pains of C(strict types, points, etc.). MUCH better than learning with pseudocode(like my college tried to do).

​

javaSCRIPT isn't a programming language, it's a scripting language... and whats bad about pseudocode? pseudocode is great, especially if you know what your doing, along with various modelling techniques it allows you to plan out a program well and design its structure and write out the complex algorithms then allowing you to develop in any language because it's a set standard of what people are used to seeing...

I'd much rather someone pass me pseudocode for a complex problem then code in a language I don't understand and expect me to convert it..

you really cant go wrong with learning C for structured programming or C++ for OOP, they very widely used languages and the syntax for them is pretty middle ground for moving between other languages

 

[Oscaruzzo]

How long did it take you to learn your preffered language?

As others said, you can learn a language (meaning you know how to use all its features) in a month if it's a "small" language like C, maybe two months if it's a "big" (read "bloated") language like C++.
What will take you much much longer is learning how to program. That's a totally different topic which is not much related to a specific language, but is more related to a totally different way of thinking, decomposing problems and procedures in smaller and smaller pieces, until you can write a working algorithm.

Did you struggle?

Sometimes, but it was FUN, much better than crosswords ;-)

Did you learn from a book or school or what?

I'm still learning, but I started with the c64 manuals, then lots of books, lots of practice, and also a master CS ;-)

Why did you learn?

Because it's FUN (already said that?). Also, when something you created works, it can give you an incredible joy (I can't explain, but I'm sure other programmers will understand).

What level of skill do you rate yourself as? (1 to 10, 10 being highest 1 is lowest).

I'd like to say 9 or 10, but sometimes I see some code wich can really inspire awe, so I'd rather go for a humble 7.

And finally, do you enjoy programming?

I love it. It's defintively worth all the struggle and the time it requires.

If you wish to start, I'd suggest to start with a good language like C (plain C, no C++). Start writing LOTS of SMALL programs, and I mean really small, like 50 to 100 lines of code. Try to rediscover the weel (for example, try to find a way to sort an array, try to find a way to get out of a maze, try to find all prime numbers in a range, that kind of stuff). These are the kind of execises that will give you the ability to think algorithmically, even though there are already TONS of (better) ways to sort an array. You can find lots of exercises like these in book about programming like those used in CS courses (again, a book "about programming" is NOT a book "about a language").

Good luck

 

[slygamer]

I've been programming for 20 years now. Started on the Commodore VIC-20 in 1985 with Commodore Basic. Went up through the C128, Amiga (500, 4000, 1200), and various PCs. I am now a lead programmer at a leading Australian games developer with two console titles (both on PS2, Xbox and GC with almost two million units sold) and two PC titles under my belt.

Most of my knowledge is self-taught through lots of reading (books, magazines, game dev websites) and trying things myself. I wouldn't still be doing this if I didn't enjoy programming.

 

[BBTroll]

xafier: A. YES I KNOW THAT JS IS A SCRIPTED LANGUAGE, SO IS PHP AND PERL. Does it really matter(other than you don't have to compile it) from a learning point of view?

B. Pseudocode is retarded because you can't test it. You are going to have to translate it sooner or later. And everyone writes different pseudocode, unlike C(which has a strict syntax). Reading someones C code it easier that reading someones pseudocode.

 

[woogal]

B. Pseudocode is retarded because you can't test it. You are going to have to translate it sooner or later. And everyone writes different pseudocode, unlike C(which has a strict syntax). Reading someones C code it easier that reading someones pseudocode.

​

Pseudocode isn't supposed to be tested. It's used to quickly get your ideas down on paper to help the structure of your code. The massive benefit of pseudocode is you write it in your own way and you can go as simple or as complicated as you want with it. It's usually for your own benefit and you usually don't need to read someone elses pseudocode. What's easier to read - many, possibly very complicated lines of C, or 'When fire button pressed then check remaining bullets, if bullets>0 shoot'?

 

[iignotus]

Javascript is a programming language goddamnit. Saying it isn't is like saying Java isn't a programming language just because it's usually run through a VM.

 

[yaustar]

But isn't Java precompiled before it runs through a VM? Although saying that, BASIC is a programming language and isn't precompiled prior running..

 

[iignotus]

But isn't Java precompiled before it runs through a VM? Although saying that, BASIC is a programming language and isn't precompiled prior running..

​

Into bytecode, but that's not a native-machine-code executable, so it's not compiled natively. But it's still a programming language. Also, Basic, at least QuickBasic, is compiled into a native executable.

 

[reaper79]

I think QuickBasic was the hardest for me to learn, because until that point every language i had used had line numbers. How great it would be to use GOTO 250 again! After spending a lot of time with line numbers, it was really odd for me to learn a function based language.

 

[pea]

aaaaah! GOTO BAD BAD BAD!!!

I started with Basic way back on the c64 (POKE 32680,1 baby!) and dabbled in machine code a few years later (basically ASM with numbers instead of text). Then moved on to AMOS on the amiga, from where I went to Univerity and had my first run in with C, and then OO languages, where we touched on Java and C++.

I got a job as an internet developer after Uni, and build client-server type applications in Delphi (OO Pascal) for four years, which had its ups and downs. As a result I love Delphi (6 and down, 7 and up is bloat like VB) and I hate VB and basic with a vengeance. I also built a few apps in c++, which, compared to Delphi is horrible.

And all the while I picked up other languages, some scripts etc, such as PHP, Perl, Javascript, C (trusty GP32 lead me back to C).

I would rate myself about a 7 or 8 programming wise, perhaps higher for Delphi and PHP, as I use them alot, and lower for c++ and some others. Take into account that I reserve 9 for guru status, and 10 for the leetest of them all. I don't know any 10s, and anyone who tells you they are one are lying

EDIT: Oh yeah, I now run my own business programming mostly online flash games. So alot of actionscripting (v1 is like javascript, v2 is more like java) for the games, and PHP/MySQL for the backend.