Computer Science Degree, need help :O

[OriginalGamer]

Hey guys, i'm currently on my route to a CS degree (BA). Only problem is i don't know programming. I know that you don't need to know any programming when starting University/College, but i want a head start and to familiarize myself with it. My High School had a programming class for seniors, but the class was canceled on my senior year so i missed out :'(. I knew some basic Java when i was 16, but i decided to quit as i did not want to pick up some bad habits if any, and wanted to learn by teacher not by videos. Now i want to start again. Any tips? or good websites with tutorials, step by steps and such. What language is easiest and which is most useful?

Thanks you guys in advance!

[João Severino]

I personally like the tutorials from The New Boston, you can check it's youtube channel and his website

Also you could check CodeAcademy where you can find practical exercises of several programming languages

[GoodBytes]

They are 2 languages that will be most useful in University for your computer science degree: Jave and C++.

Most universities starts with Java, you have a 2 semester course on Java, the first one is on the basics of the programming languages (if's, loops, functions, etc), and the next one is more complex stuff (object oriented, interface, etc.). If it's C++, it's usually the same recipe.

Java is the easiest.

C++ is the most useful (for your carrier)

Java and C/C++ share common grounds in coding style. So transitioning from Java to C/C++ is easy. Starting your first language to C++ is difficult, and discouraging for most.

Everyone codes differently, there is no "poper way" of coding (ok there is, but it's not something you'll learn at university, but rather you'll learn in the work field form experience, or yourself from practicing or developing your own projects for fun). The general rule of thumbs for coding is:

-> Have clear variable names.... but don't have: varibleOfTypeStringForDefiningTheColorOfTheCar = "blue" "... just have "color = blue", or "carColor = "blue" " or "strCarColor = "blue" " (this last style you put the type of the variable at the begging, in this case indicating it's a string) . But you certain don't want: "var1 = blue".

-> You want to put comments explaining each function at an overview levels, and for complex function comment the code inside. You don't want too much comment either... the obvious stuff doesn't need to be commented.

-> You want functions to be simple, so that you can reuse function code to do other function.

But at the end, when you'll get your degree (or get a summer job in it, or a part job, or internship), you'll simply use the style being used from the previous people that you are working on.

[MG2R]

I always say the same thing to this type of question: start with C. C is the basis of a lot of programming languages these days and chance are that thay'll start with that in college/university too.

[GoodBytes]

Getting started with C is hell, with data type you expect, such as strings not existing, and work with pointers, and thing about memory management. Come on.

Let the person use a language where everything is taken care of that, so that he or she understand how the concept of programming work, learn how to script it, help start learning how to visualize their program, and get ideas on how to plan, then invest time to worry about C/C++. He will have 3-4 years at university, plenty of time to learn C/C++, or usually he will have a course on it in any case, after Java. Most people forget Java after learning C/C++ as it's the language that maters in the work field, and is far more powerful.

[MG2R]

Getting started with C is hell, with data type you expect, such as strings not existing, and work with pointers, and thing about memory management. Come on.

Let the person use a language where everything is taken care of that, so that he or she understand how the concept of programming work, learn how to script it, help start learning how to visualize their program, and get ideas on how to plan, then invest time to worry about C/C++. He will have 3-4 years at university, plenty of time to learn C/C++, or usually he will have a course on it in any case, after Java. Most people forget Java after learning C/C++ as it's the language that maters in the work field, and is far more powerful.

We started with C and honestly, I can't see what you mean with the "thing about memory management". I found Java to be *way* more confusing to learn than C.

One does not have to work with pointers in the beginning. And strings not existing, well, ok, I'll give you that one :p

[NeoZeon]

A lot of universities also start with python, as many science majors take only one or two courses in CS and often python is the strongest language to use for science people.

[Smite]

What you will find is yes most start with C++ but once your in year 3 after you have all your basic junk out of the way you will lean towards a specialty or a minor. Once you have your chosen minor or w/e they call it where your going then you will deal with less general languages. I have taken a lot of classes from C to Java to VB and Cobol. The more you know the better off you are if your a good student and study you will be fine.

[marsniper27]

I mainly use C++ both for computer program and my embedded work. A good place for info is http://www.cplusplus.com/ .

[BillBro]

I am currently studying towards Computer Science Degree (BSC), I first started programming with Java and some web-based scripting and mark-up languages (PHP, JavaScript ect). I feel those kinds of languages are a good way to start as they are some-what simplified version of the 'higher end' programming languages but still teach the fundamental principles. but different things work for different people :P

[GoodBytes]

The problem with what language you are being thought at University depends on how the University sees Computer Science.

Some Universities assumes that Comp. Sci. is a unique field which regroup a multitude of other fields nicely weaved together into one (computer science is a difficult field). And this is where you'll learn Java/C++ when you get started, and you'll learn, also languages by yourself, like PHP/HTML/CSS, for your Database class and perhaps other classes.

Other Universities sees Comp.Sci. as nothing more than the study of algorithms. And this is where you learn languages such as Python, because it's easy, and the purpose of teaching you this, is not for work field values, but rather you have the knowledge and understanding required for studying and designing algorithms. You usually also learn Haskell or F#, a function based programming language. All these languages are great for a PhD degree or Masters, but 100% useless in the work field.

If you are going in computer science or soft eng for gaming... be prepared:

:)

[marsniper27]

The problem with what language you are being thought at University depends on how the University sees Computer Science.

Some Universities assumes that Comp. Sci. is a unique field which regroup a multitude of other fields nicely weaved together into one (computer science is a difficult field). And this is where you'll learn Java/C++ when you get started, and you'll learn, also languages by yourself, like PHP/HTML/CSS, for your Database class and perhaps other classes.

Other Universities sees Comp.Sci. as nothing more than the study of algorithms. And this is where you learn languages such as Python, because it's easy, and the purpose of teaching you this, is not for work field values, but rather you have the knowledge and understanding required for studying and designing algorithms. You usually also learn Haskell or F#, a function based programming language. All these languages are great for a PhD degree or Masters, but 100% useless in the work field.

If you are going in computer science or soft eng for gaming... be prepared:

:)

ah Motors class lol.

[LaiLaiNoob]

You might wanna brush up on basic terms and stuff before diving into to coding. Never a good way to start coding straight off, you probably won't understand most of it if you do it that way.

[ThatsMyFavourite]

I'm in first year for my BSc in Computer Science as well - and I hafto say, having done 2 years of Java in high school, Python is a very good language to start with, as they are teaching it here for first year. Python takes out alot of the deep inner workings that you hafto worry about in other languages (variable types in particular) so that you can fully solidify your understanding of programming concepts without worrying about your program not compiling because you didn't use the same variable type throughout.

So if you ask me, start yourself off with Python to get all the basics down.