Learning a new Language (Programming)

Bigun · Veteran Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 1949

I'm starting to think that knowing another programming language, when learning a new one, is a handicap.

I start reading on jQuery, with PHP on my belt already, and I get to chapter three and have a hard time restraining myself from yelling at the book.

The book takes a route to handle learning by doing. And they lay out a set of requirements that need to be met, chapter by chapter, and you use newly learned techniques to handle the tasks. So it encourages thinking ahead and trying things on your own.

So before I even start in chapter 3, I look over the requirements, then I look over code from chapter 2, change three lines of code, tested, and met all requirements for chapter 3. Then I actually begin reading chapter 3, and I'll be damned if they added... like maybe... 30 lines of code and meet only 4 of the 5 requirements. Given, they cover new functionality and learning material.... but because I can't get my brain around the reasoning behind it, my brain doesn't want to retain it.... and it aggravates me.

Sorry, had to share my frustration.
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jonnevers · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 1:33 pm Post subject:

so you're actually learning JavaScript with a focus on the jQuery API? focus on the JavaScript first.

Bigun · Veteran Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 1949

Bigun · Veteran Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 1949

Ok, this book sucks... straight up errors.

Some goals and requirements given, are never really met with 100% accuracy. Just to check, a quick google search found me to be right:

http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920012740.do

One review states the book has several errors, and I'm only on chapter 4 and I'm starting to realize this.

Given, I have enough experience in jQuery now to actually produce the code myself without the book's help all that much, it's still annoying as hell.
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Sadhu Sundar Singh - responding to Darwinian Evolution - "...but I am more interested in Divine Selection and survival of the unfit"

pjp · Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:59 pm Post subject:

That's a shame. I've liked their PHP/MySQL and Java books. Need to get back to the Java one.
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Prenj · n00b Joined: 20 Nov 2011 Posts: 7 Location: Mostar, BiH

It seems like a handicap when you are learning 2nd language, because you are thinking in the terms of 1st language. When you learn 3-4 you stop thinking that way, and think in abstracts, the language just becomes a syntax, and then you have to take into considerations the peculiarities of a language to make the code work, or you start using language "tweaks and hacks" to use it in a way you cannot do with another language.

At that point you stop worrying if Java is better then C++, but start thinking in terms of when should one use one or another.

:lol:

Keep at it, it goes over

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1488 Location: U.S.A.

Mardok45

Bigun · Veteran Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 1949

Holy s***... another time wasting CSS error in chapter 5, did they even test the code they typed in this book?!

I'll explain this one:

Here is the file structure for this example:

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1488 Location: U.S.A.

Never buy the first edition of a technical book (unless you expect it to become a valuable collectors' item). This wouldn't happen to be a 1st Edition, would it?

If the book is a year old or more, you might also check to see if errata have been published for it. See if there's a website, get a fine-point red pen, and go through and correct the errors.
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bogamol · Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 5:02 am Post subject:

I've been really enjoying the Codecademy: Code Year program. It is an online learning method which teaches Javascript, HTML and CSS.

Bigun · Veteran Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 1949

marens · Apprentice Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Posts: 172

or http://code.google.com/intl/de/edu/

bogamol · Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 4:52 pm Post subject:

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1488 Location: U.S.A.

bogamol · Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject:

Bigun · Veteran Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 1949

Oh, this is balls.

I'm now having to read this book side-by-side with the errata, just confirming that the page I'm on doesn't have errors.

I may be using the GCU next time.

*edit*

Oddly enough, no jQuery course.
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Sadhu Sundar Singh - responding to Darwinian Evolution - "...but I am more interested in Divine Selection and survival of the unfit"

pjp · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 11:24 pm Post subject:

BoneKracker · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 1488 Location: U.S.A.