You Need To Learn How To Program

Slate ^ | Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at 4:48 PM ET | Farhad Manjoo

[Sonny M]

If you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution, let me suggest an idea that you might not have considered: You should learn computer programming. Specifically, you should sign up for Code Year, a new project that aims to teach neophytes the basics of programming over the course of 2012. Code Year was put together by Codecademy,* a startup that designs clever, interactive online tutorials. Codecademy’s founders, Zach Sims and Ryan Bubinski, argue that everyone should know how to program—that learning to code is becoming as important as knowing how to read and write. I concur. So if you don’t know how to program, why not get started this week? Come on, it’ll be fun!

Code Year’s minimum commitment is one new lesson every week. The company says that it will take a person of average technical skill about five hours to complete a lesson, so you’re looking at about an hour of training every weekday. That’s not so bad, considering that the lessons are free, and the reward could be huge: If you’re looking to make yourself more employable (or more immune from getting sacked), if you’d like to become more creative at work and in the rest of your life, and if you can’t resist a good intellectual challenge, there are few endeavors that will pay off as handsomely as learning to code.

[whd23]

	LD A,10100101B
	OUT (01),A
START :	LD HL,0070H
	LD C,0AH
COMP :	LD A,(HL)
	CP B
	INC HL
	JP Z,MATCH
	DEC C
	LD A, 00H
	CP C
	JP NZ,COMP
	JP Z, NMATCH
MATCH :	LD A,0F0H
	OUT (01),A
	HALT
NMATCH :	LD A, 0FH
	OUT (01),A
	HALT

[Miss Conservative]

“Code for Dummies” wouldn’t even dumb it down enough for me.

[ThunderSleeps]

If you do I’m in - if and when I can find the time. I’ve got 25+ years coding on everything from 8 bit micros to IBM big iron. Assembly, BASIC, Fortran, Ada, C, C++, Java, bash, you name it...

[Porterville]

I hate programming -— I will definitely pass.

[spankalib]

That would be me - bfl.
;)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The question is, what code programming language to learn?

Like a lot of things in life, the answer is: it depends. What do you want to do with it? I, personally, think a good place to start is BASIC. The B in BASIC for "Beginners". If you tell me what you are looking to do, I'll have a better idea of what language can best help you.

[wally_bert]

I would be interested.

[ExTxMarine]

Self-taught programmer here - started with BASIC and have messed around with everything from there to C#.

More of a hobby, but I did do it for a living and networking for about six years. Then moved on! Learned C from the original K&R book as well.

[bcsco]

I have no idea what any of that means, LOL.

90 END mean "That's it, there is no more". For the rest of it, someone else will have to help you. That's as far as I could get :>

[bcsco]

I’d be interested. Built some PC’s back in the early 90’s, thought about programming but took classes on networking instead. It’d be fun to do.

[texasx]

I have been programming for 30 years and had to learn several different languages. Right now I am doing pl/sql for a data warehouse. I have encouraged all my children to learn some technical skill. I think it’s the best way to ensure job security. I am 66 years old and work at least 60 hours a week; age is not important. The skills you learn are invaluable.

[pgkdan]

bump!

[djf]

Probably some PLC’s somewhere up on the Alaskan pipeline that use it.. A simple language, not much can go wrong, very compact.

And I’ve ran compiled Basic on my desktop. It’s FAST!!!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I’ve always wanted to take on an embedded project - we did some of this in grad school - I think we had microchips (?) and we flashed the instructions, had simulators etc.

The key for me would be coming up with a really cool idea for an application - i.e. I think execution would be the easy part - the tricky part would be figuring out a cool use for the technology.

I’m definitely interested - I write C code for a living so I know my if/elses and for loops.

[Teotwawki]

Bump for later.

[djf]

I have read that between 60 and 80 percent of transactions in F500 companies STILL go through Cobol at some point. Many of these are legacy applications that would cost a fortune to replace.

And Cobol/DB2 Cobol/Cics programmers are dropping like flies.

Learn Cobol now and a person could write their own ticket!

[Bobalu]

If I end up doing this it will be about
Programming this particular controller in C
and assembly. It runs at 16.5mhz without a crystal
and at up to 20mhz with one. I never use a crystal
since it costs you 2 I/O pins.

This processor has internal RAM, EPROM and flash memory. It can easily communicate with a PC using USB. It's a great chip for beginners as it's so cheap and can do so much.

I usually get them 100 at a time and they cost about 1.25 each. I buy from Mouser.com but lots of people stock them.

Here is the pdf datasheet

I use these little processors to build hobby type fun projects. But they can be called on to do serious work as well. It's basically a whole computer for a buck and a quarter.

The compiler is free and of excellent quality, as is the free IDE.

[ßuddaßudd]

►bump◄ I need to learn more languages ►/bump◄

[Auntie Mame]

bump

[green iguana]

Stray cat poop? I though it was civets...