[wplug] about basic programming

[Lee Brinton]

On Mar 3, 2005, at 5:35 PM, Steve Bierly wrote:

> Hello,
> I want to learn everything I can about programming and
> many types of linux.

Excellent, I hope we can help.

>  I am just beginning with linux and have knoppix.
>  Does anyone know where I can get
> info of everything you can do on knoppix?

Knoppix: www.knoppix.net
The Linux Documentation Project: www.tldp.org
The book Knoppics Hacks:  
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0596007876/qid=1109946010/sr=2 
-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-3598051-8277719

>  And does
> anyone know where I can get a book or info about
> beginning to program?

Beginning Linux Programming:  
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1874416680/102-3598051-8277719

>  I was also told that I should
> only focus on shell,perl,and HTML.

IMHO, none of these are a good choice for learning to program. Let me  
explain.

By shell I mean Bourne Shell and I hope you do too. Shell is a very  
powerful tool for the programmer to have in the toolbox.  There are  
many interesting things that can be done with shell but, it is not a  
great  programming language for learning to program.  I love shell, and  
what it can do for you and recommend your learn some shell, just don't  
confuse it with learning to program.

Perl is to shell like the Hulk is to Bruce Banner.  The problem is  
that, without knowing the basics of programming, you will pickup too  
many bad habits learning programming in Perl.  I am not knocking Perl,  
I love it.  It is just too easy to write bad, ugly, unreadable,  
unmaintainable  programs for me to recommend it as a first language.

I don't consider HTML programming. It is a useful tool but not  
programming.

I would recommend Python as a first language, it has all of the power  
of Perl and it is easier to learn good programming habits.  If Perl is  
the Hulk maybe Python is Superman.

C is also a good language to learn,  it is still very important in *nix  
world.  There are some programming concepts that you may never learn  
unless you spend some time with C.

Java is another language that can be important, I currently work  
primarily with Java at my day job.  It has its warts but it can be  
quite useful.

I hope this was helpful

Lee