Ubuntu newbie - I want to program

[mrfotheringham]

Hello all my first post. Been a linux convert for two weeks. Small amounts of terminal use and getting into forums. However where should i start if i want to learn programming - which language, realistic timescales etc. Any ideas gratefully received and considered.

[martasrealm]

I'd say python is your best bet. It's a scripting language, so you don't need to compile and stuff. It's high level, so you won't have to worry about pointers or anything nasty like that. And its syntax is pretty standard stuff, although it does have a couple of unique quirks. Other popular scripting langs are Ruby and Perl, but I wouldn't recommend neither, because they are, in my personal opinion, weirder.

If you decide to move on from scripting languages, then you probably want to go to Java first, then C/C++. Wouldn't recommend staying with Java for too long before getting to know C/C++, because it could teach you some habits that will be hard to break once you try to use lower-level languages (like C). The most obvious one being that you don't explicitly manage memory in Java, like you have to do in both C and C++.

[jmadero]

I think it honestly depends on what you are trying to do...different types of programs use different languages. Are you planning on writing your own programs? Contributing to another one? Just doing it for "fun"?

If you are trying to learn because you think it's necessary for linux...it's not...at all. I personally can't stand programming but have been a pure linux user for years. I have dabbled here and there, took one C++ class, otherwise....programming is not my thing at all but yet I can do quite a bit in Linux (as you can see by my post count I'm able to offer help pretty frequently)

So I think step 1 is to determine what you are learning it for.

[rokytnji]

You can go through the Link in my signature for ideas and documentation.

By the way, Howdy and Welcome to Linux.

[nopycckn]

I recently feel that experimenting with different types of programming and languages - but not mastering them - has helped me a lot. If you want to master one language, I guess it could be a waste of time - which is what I've felt like in the past, but programming in general is very helpful to me. It's gotten me into much more of a programming mindset now than I was before I experimented more. I've seen Python recommended as a good beginning language many, many times. I've heard too many bad things about PERL, though. I am at a comfortable level with it, and I don't personally see any real problems with it. I've heard a lot about it becoming hard to maintain when you write very large programs, which I haven't done, but with the experience that I do have with it and others I find it a little hard to understand why so many people say so. It's not so bad.

[mrfotheringham]

I'm intriged with being able to use linux without learning to program. Where should i start i'm using 9.04. A good book, tutorials? I would life to get my head around where to start right at ground level.

[nopycckn]

10 Free Linux Ebooks For Beginners | LinuxHaxor.net is a good list of free books, and The Linux Documentation Project has quite a selection, for free. There are very many to purchase at a bookstore, O'Reilly has a very good selection.

[mrfotheringham]

Thanks bookmarked or saved them.

[nopycckn]

As far as I know, O'Reilly - Running Linux is a good one.

[jmadero]

don't use a book....I think that's one of the worst ways to learn linux. The best way....play around with it a lot. Use different distros, and visit the forums often....books always slowed me down when it came to learning linux, too technical without really saying how to do things. If you want to know "why" it does something, go to a book, if you want to just know how to do something, play around and see where it leads you