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Beginning programming for dummies — Parallax Forums

Beginning programming for dummies

paddy303paddy303 Posts: 12
edited 2008-03-23 17:28 in Propeller 1
Hi all,
······· I was just wondering if any of you have purchased the Beginning programming for dummies book. Im a newbie when it comes to programming and I was wondering if this book was the answer to my prayers. Any help will be appreciated. Could any of you advise other books that might suit my needs, Iv got my Hydra and im reading Andre's book at the moment. I realise I got a lot to learn, Cheers,


································································ Patrick.

Comments

  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2008-03-22 00:14
    What is the exact title of the book you are referring to? Is this a Parallax book, "Dummies" series book or something else?

    Andre'
  • paddy303paddy303 Posts: 12
    edited 2008-03-22 00:33
    Hi Andre,

    ············· Its one of the for dummies books, the usual yellow books, The website is www.dummies.com . The exact title is Beginning programming for dummies.
  • kjennejohnkjennejohn Posts: 171
    edited 2008-03-22 07:28
    Hi.
    I bought the book almost a year ago. I got it because I had just purchased Liberty BASIC online and someone in their forums recommended it. Be sure you get the latest version, which I believe is vers. 4. I don't remember, and I lent the book out, so can't check. It does an OK job of covering the basics of programming. However, I think Andre's epic work, available on the CD, which covers everything from electron theory to programming and board construction, is the better deal.

    kenjj
  • jburke71jburke71 Posts: 10
    edited 2008-03-22 17:17
    Hi Paddy303,

    Wow, you really jumped into the deep end before learning to swim =). Not to worry though, you can learn all this stuff with effort and patience. It's taken me about a year to learn enough about electronics, low level programming and computer architecture to start making sense of this stuff (and I was competent in about 4 or 5 high level languages to start with).

    My first suggestion would be to skip learning basic on a modern computer. The concepts behind programming on the hydra (microcontroller programming) are different enough from standard computing that I think this book will just cause more confusion for you later (and possibly rot your mind =).

    Other things I would suggest looking into...

    1.) The BasicStamp Activity Kit. My 9 year old son and I worked though the, "What's a microcontroller" book, and it was a fantastic starting point for both of us (you can download this book here: http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/books/edu/wamv2_2.pdf ). At the very least, I recommend reading this book, but to get the most out of it you'll need to get a basic stamp and some electronic components.

    2.) The book, "The Definitive Guide to how Computers Do Math" by Clive Maxfield and Alvin Brown is an absolute MUST read. This is one of the best introductions to computer architecture (both physical and logical) and assembly programming that I've ever found (info on it here: http://www.diycalculator.com/ ).

    3.) The Propeller Education Labs are a good resource for learning the Spin language and Propeller basics. You could use your Hydra with these labs, but you'll need to setup your circuits on the blank experimenter card and remap the I/O pins in your program. The propeller proto board might be a better alternative because it's cheap enough that board destroying mistakes won't kill your pocketbook.

    4.) If you're weak in math (I certainly was), start working on this also. As I've learned more advanced math, the concepts above have become easier to understand (I can't explain it, but that's how it's worked for me).

    5.) If you still want to learn a modern programming language, I'd recommend Processing or Python. Both are good languages to start with, and won't rot your mind like modern basic =).

    Unfortunately, I can't recommend any one particular electronics book. I've read a dozen or so, but not a single one stands out as being better than the rest (they all seem to be difficult to read, error prone and incomplete). Perhaps Forest Mimms, "Getting Started in Electronics" would be best.

    Good luck, and I hope these help.

    Jason

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  • paddy303paddy303 Posts: 12
    edited 2008-03-23 01:29
    Hi Jason,

    ············ Thanks for the advice, Iv taken what you are saying. I am a newbie and I just wanted to know where to start with programming for the Hydra. Andre's book is great, his way of explaining stuff is real easy to understand. I actually have a few books on basic electronics. My other hobbies include Beam robotics and circuit bending (rewireing old keyboards to make cool new sounds). It was cool of you to reply with the advice on where I should start when it comes to working with the Hydra. I will check out the websites you mentioned. Thanks again,



    ················································ patrick.
  • jburke71jburke71 Posts: 10
    edited 2008-03-23 17:28
    Hey Patrick,

    Well since you're good on the electronics side, feel free to ignore suggestion 1 above. Instead, I'd suggest you learn Python first. It's easy to learn, and the syntax of Python has a few direct correlations to Spin (indentation to signify code blocks, carriage return to end lines and objects). A short time with this will give you enough experience with the important programming topics (like statements and expressions, flow control, operators and variables) to move on to Spin.

    I found a really good tutorial here: http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld/

    Enjoy,

    Jason

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    There's nothing to see down here. Move along...
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