So you want to learn to program!

Last updated: 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Almost anyone can learn to program. There are only a few requirements (like having access to a computer), and you don't have to be a genius. (Well… it helps if you are a genius, I suppose, but you don't HAVE to be one). This article addresses some of the motivations you might have for wanting to learn to program computers, and discusses a few different ways to start learning now!

What is it you want to do?

There are a lot of reasons for wanting to learn computer programming, and what you want to do with it can help guide you in choosing your path in learning. Perhaps you are interested in programming as a career. In that case you will want to make sure you are learning things that will make you hirable. On the other hand, you might just be looking for a fascinating hobby, and in that case you can let be a bit more casual about what you learn and focus only on things that interest you.

Maybe you need to automate various applications you use at work like using a Word Processor to do mailing labels or a spreadsheet to do customized financial forecasting... or want to write computer games, or have a cool web site, or... the reasons are endless, just as the things you can do with a computer are.

The languages you learn will be influenced by these things, as well as the approach you will want to take as you begin to learn to do computer programming.

What resources do you have available?

Time, money, people who can help guide you, computers, books, programming clubs, classes, programming forums... these are all resources that will be handy as you are learning to program.

If you have a lot of time and money, a computer, and access to learning opportunities like college classes and developer group meetings, you will probably be able to learn at a pretty rapid pace. If you have only an hour or so to spend each day, and you don't have your own computer, and you can only buy one or two books you will have to adjust your expectations a bit. However, either way, or somewhere inbetween, you'll be able to learn to program.

What is the level of your motivation?

This isn't going to be easy. You are going to need to keep going even when things seem impossible and you can't find the answers you need. It takes a fair amount of brain power, will power, and the ability to work things out.

One of the attractions of computer programming is that there is a lot of problem solving, and you will have to solve a lot of them both while you are learning as well as when you are using your skills to do useful things.

It takes a lot of interest and dedication to stick with it long enough to get somewhere - if this still sounds good to you, you will probably do okay.

So, how to get started?

There are a lot of ways to go about getting started. You can get started today, regardless of how you are going to approach this over the long run. That is the purpose of the Learn To Program Now web site. I want to provide you with a little direction to help you make good decisions on how to accomplish your goals.

The internet is chock full of resources to help you learn to program, especially sites on how to program. That makes sense, since the internet has been created and programmed by programmers. A lot of programmers are willing to share their knowledge, and you'll find links to a lot of good resources here. One thing is certain, there is no shortage of information. Unfortunately, when you are first starting out it is next to impossible to make sense of all this stuff and easy to become overwhelmed.

I'll be adding more to this article... this is just a start