[geeks] Crackpot project, need some guidance

[Mark Benson]

On 15 Jul 2011, at 17:36, Mouse <mouse at Rodents-Montreal.ORG> wrote:

>> To start with, something really basic.  Starting with single math
>> functions based on binary numbers.  Next the ability to store and
>> retrieve from a block of 'memory'.  Then on to something more complex
>> maybe...
>
> Probably a good idea, especially given
>
>>> 2. Do you already know any languages?
>> PHP.  Not an ideal starting point but it'd make a cool web page :)
>
> "First make it work.  Then make it better."  To put it another way,
> "start small".  Don't bite off more than you can chew; you'll make a
> lot more progress overall by taking small steps and learning gradually
> than by getting over-ambitious and getting in way over your head.

That's how I've always worked. Start with a basic idea then expand as
required.

>> It'd be an interesting way to learn C/C++ or Python though too.  I
>> want to pick up those at some time.
>
> I do trust you know that C, C++, and Python are three almost totally
> different languages?

Yes. I know that, they are just 3 I would like to pick up and learn. The forme
2 for 'real' programming skill that can be used on different systems and the
latter as a decent multi-purpose scripting language for cli and web stuff.

> (Well, except that C++ has a subset which is
> almost but not quite identical with C.)

I tend to associate C and C++ but I know they aren't the same thing.

>  The way you phrase that makes
> it sound as though you are thinking of them as equivalent somehow,
> which is true only at the very highest level, the level at which pretty
> much all programming languages are.

At the moment they are all similar in that I don't know any of them ;)

> This list isn't really designed for help with programming, but I'm sure
> you'd find plenty of people here ready to give you an off-list hand.
> Provided you're writing in C, I'm one of them.

In between arguments about airbags in cars and engine firewall penetration in
a head-on collision, obviously ;)

Time to break out a text editor, methinks ;)

--
Mark Benson

http://markbenson.org/blog