Can I be a programmer, maybe a C++ programmer?

[rollerbladegirl]

Can I be a programmer, maybe a C++ programmer?

Most likely yes !

You might find programming, and with C++ to be fun and easy. Maybe really scary at first, then later fun and easy.

It might not be so much the training that a person has had as their mental dexterity that affects how they adapt to new challenges.

To maintain even enough of an interest in many work activities to keep doing similar work later at home on one's own may show an aptitude for tacking complex and variably changing challenges. It might. Think about what you do. You might be making complex decisions commonly. Not that your boss at work admits to noticing. Not that you boss at work even thanks you for. But, you know what you do and the thinking that it took you to do it. That may be a proof of mental activity that supports that it may indicate a tendency to solve variable problems and to learn quickly.

If you are at least somewhat proficient at almost anything, then I expect that you have the mentality to handle C++11 computer programming.


Disclaimer: No I do not own C++11. No I do not own CODE::BLOCKS 17.12. No I do not own Google. No I do not own duckduckgo.com. No I do not own Microsoft. etc.


I as an example:

I started learning C++11 and using CODE::BLOCKS 17.12 last summer. I like it. It is free. It is free. It is free. It is available over the internet. Download it from the official site. Install it. It has some extra stuff with it that I do not use. I do not use wxWidgets as it seems to get into the way of my learning C++.

I am currently struggling with double buffer blitting, but other than that I have been learning almost everything else almost easily. C++ seems to be logical. It was *scary* at first, but I got past that and now it is fun.

Some thoughts on learning from other people:

If I keep away from reading posts on ".net", which I consider a dying anti-language then I seem to do ok.

If I am careful to re-interpret all Visual Studio program examples and get rid of the "crutches" that VS puts in, then I seem to do ok.

I have found that if I can, I try to only read and study straight C++11 examples, but these seem to have been few.

Most responses in coding web sites seem to have been a battle between posters that compete to see who can give the most complex, intricate, difficult to understand, code. Their code does not impress me. Stroustrup has already impressed far more than their code has been able to.

I want to learn and to learn correctly and quickly. I read and read and read. I can look stuff up in Stroustrup's C++11 book and see the exact answer, maybe not every one, but a lot of them.

"C++11", "The C++ Programming Language", Fourth Edition, get it and use it.

Last but even more important than all the rest of what I have said in this article: I use Windows XP Pro with service pack 2 (Not service pack 3). I do not use a later version of Windows partly because I have been told by Microsoft on their own web site that Microsoft uploads themselves (and to many sites) what is typed in and any and all other user activity on all of their computers past [...]. This is my code. Not theirs. I do not trust Microsoft. I trust Jesus, but I do not trust Microsoft.

I suggest:

• Get a book on C++11 by Stroustrup.

• Look up lots of examples via Google.com or duckduckgo.com . Lots of people give incorrect advice on programming via programming sites. They are just wrong. Occationally, rarely, I have found examples on programming sites that were correct. They are there. Search them out. Read lots of examples, and read what Stroustrup says, and try lots of variations and learn. Shove the information into your head as fast as you can. Within a year, you might be a far better programmer than most of the people posting on programming help sites. Ok, there are some seriously smart people there. I am learning who supplies usable code.

• Learn C++11 with CODE::BLOCKS 17.12 and not using the included wxWidgets.

• Get into it completely and go for the hardest part that you can see yourself handling.

• Study, study, study.

• You might find that by getting into it quickly you will be learning *much* faster than if you get a C++ instruction book.

• Put your adaptive analytical mind to work.

• I went straight to programming for GUI (a graphical user interface) instead of the very restrictive "command prompt." I suggest that you do the same.

[dev7060]

I'd suggest working with the CLI first. There's not much in working on the upper level without knowing how and what stuff actually works behind the scenes. It may also depend on the individual itself.

I wouldn't recommend Windows XP. Using Windows XP comes with its downsides too. First, its support has been ended (hence no security updates, you're compromising with the security here then). Second, it may not guarantee the compatibility with the latest releases of the IDE and hence missing features. Third, switching to an old interface just because of the privacy concerns for the sake of learning doesn't seem a justified reason to me. It would make sense if one starts writing professional-quality code since the beginning. If privacy is the concern, Linux distros are the best.

On a side note, I genuinely don't believe that Microsoft can compromise with privacy by recording the keystrokes. Windows is the most popular operating system used in the world. They may record the stuff entered while the user searches something through the start menu or while using services like Cortana for the betterment of their products but in a text editor or IDE? that's quite hard to believe. In fact, Microsoft offers a free editor called vscode that's a lot popular among devs. I may believe so if they offer customized versions of Windows and servers to FBI, CIA or NSA and provide different to others.

[SmithAnchorWork]

The original article is correct.

New programmers that hope to eventually become great C++ programmers should follow the original article closely and do what it says.

All of the following is my opinion.

dev7060, I disagree with your CLI suggestion.

CLI (Command-line interface) programming is probably the worst start for new C++ programmers. They learn very little C++ there. The learning curve of new programmers has been proven to be damaged by the psychological inebriation of their becoming attached to the limits of the command line interface. Please, anyone who reads this post do not use any command line interface programming until you learn C++ first.

If you need an every day example:
A person being trained to stick-weld does not start their class instruction with paper cutouts and Elmer's glue. The instructor explains the electric welder, the welding rods, supplies on-site examples, and tests. The student is guided into the world of welding directly. The same with programming in C++. Do as the article says, and learn correctly.

dev7060, I disagree with your "I wouldn't recommend Windows XP" opinion.

On topic for dev7060's comment:

Not using a later version of Windows (beyond XP sp2) is not limited to what the original article noted (as the original article did note).

The listed "downsides" (according to you) are not correct."First, its support has been ended (hence no security updates..." That is preferable to what Microsoft is shoveling onto systems these days. To get away from Microsoft support, while using some version of Microsoft Windows, should be a primary goal in selecting an operating system.

A simple question for the most of the readers of this, "When was the last time that Microsoft actually did supply you with support?" Truthful answer: Never!

Another question for those readers, "Did you ever attempt to ask Microsoft for support?" Probably most of you "yes."

Did you ever get the support that "you" "personally" requested for "your request" when "you" attempted to ask for that support from Microsoft? Truthful answer: Never!"

Microsoft support has, for many years, been like "smoke and redirection."

You have been experiencing this for years. You have learned that Microsoft support on a personal level is a lie. It is not personal. You know that. Microsoft is a big corporation. Microsoft is not a person. Microsoft's stated goals to their investors includes to make money. Not to support you. Not to help you. To make money. Windows XP (32 bit) was created so well, so stable, so amazingly capable that it almost put Microsoft out of business. Microsoft is in the business of selling operating systems.

The general homeowner level consumer learned that after Windows 98 Second Edition, they did not really need more. They were right. So, Microsoft created slightly better and worked at forcing peripheral device manufacturers to follow them with slightly more capacity and slightly more capabilities. Even at that, Microsoft had a hard time competing with their own 98SE. So, Microsoft advertised heavily. They told the general public that everyone else was going to the new operating system. For years Microsoft pushed that advertising hard. One new (so called) "upgraded" operating system at a time.

Over time it became more expensive to advertise sufficiently to get the intelligent consumer to purchase an updated operating system. Microsoft shoved those advertising costs onto the PC (personal computer) manufacturers and those consumer end prices went up fast. There was a macroeconomic condition that explained what Microsoft was doing. In that, Microsoft had to sell more and at a higher price just to keep up with their previous costs (escalating costs) of selling per unit.

Before we go further: In business, it has been proven that Windows NT4.0 can be made so secure and so stable that it is un-hackable. It has been tested multiple times including directly and indirectly by advertising to hackers and crackers and penetrators world-wide and challenging them in various ways to penetrate, crack, or hack specific Windows NT4.0 systems. They could not break in. They could not penetrate. It became an issue. Current, to this year, 2020AD, none of those systems have reported to me that they have ever been penetrated. Windows NT4.0. I think that the same can be said of Windows 2000 (no service pack).

For the average consumer, Windows XP sp2 (not service pack 3) is about as far forward as serious security goes in Microsoft Windows operating systems. But, that is just the operating system. Separately, UEFI, and Pre-Boot execution environments (which many hardware manufacturers incorporate these days) breaks the security before Windows even loads up.

To say that "it does not matter," is like the English ignoring Churchill's warnings. Even though Churchhill yelled to them what was going on, the general public preferred to look the other way and say, "it does not matter," and "just go along." Many millions of people paid with their lives for not thinking on their own. I use XP with Service Pack 2, without PBE, without UEFI, and I almost never download anything, and what I do download I run through a (non-"self"-upgrading) virus (etc.) checker.

[dev7060]

Thank you for disagreeing with me completely. From past experiences on the site, I've learned to not make a thread a debate and participate in the same. The aim has always been to provide the reader with the best advice from the experience and hence it was delivered. Everyone's free to believe whatever he/she wants to believe in and keep living in their own delusional world. Although the post by "Smith" didn't get the facts right and can be counter-attacked in tons of ways, I have no interest in doing so nor do I consider it worth my time. I'd rather let it go and let the reader decide what he/she thinks is right.

The original article is correct.

New programmers that hope to eventually become great C++ programmers should follow the original article closely and do what it says.

All of the following is my opinion.

dev7060, I disagree with your CLI suggestion.

CLI (Command-line interface) programming is probably the worst start for new C++ programmers. They learn very little C++ there. The learning curve of new programmers has been proven to be damaged by the psychological inebriation of their becoming attached to the limits of the command line interface. Please, anyone who reads this post do not use any command line interface programming until you learn C++ first.

If you need an every day example:
A person being trained to stick-weld does not start their class instruction with paper cutouts and Elmer's glue. The instructor explains the electric welder, the welding rods, supplies on-site examples, and tests. The student is guided into the world of welding directly. The same with programming in C++. Do as the article says, and learn correctly.

dev7060, I disagree with your "I wouldn't recommend Windows XP" opinion.

On topic for dev7060's comment:

Not using a later version of Windows (beyond XP sp2) is not limited to what the original article noted (as the original article did note).

The listed "downsides" (according to you) are not correct."First, its support has been ended (hence no security updates..." That is preferable to what Microsoft is shoveling onto systems these days. To get away from Microsoft support, while using some version of Microsoft Windows, should be a primary goal in selecting an operating system.

A simple question for the most of the readers of this, "When was the last time that Microsoft actually did supply you with support?" Truthful answer: Never!

Another question for those readers, "Did you ever attempt to ask Microsoft for support?" Probably most of you "yes."

Did you ever get the support that "you" "personally" requested for "your request" when "you" attempted to ask for that support from Microsoft? Truthful answer: Never!"

Microsoft support has, for many years, been like "smoke and redirection."

You have been experiencing this for years. You have learned that Microsoft support on a personal level is a lie. It is not personal. You know that. Microsoft is a big corporation. Microsoft is not a person. Microsoft's stated goals to their investors includes to make money. Not to support you. Not to help you. To make money. Windows XP (32 bit) was created so well, so stable, so amazingly capable that it almost put Microsoft out of business. Microsoft is in the business of selling operating systems.

The general homeowner level consumer learned that after Windows 98 Second Edition, they did not really need more. They were right. So, Microsoft created slightly better and worked at forcing peripheral device manufacturers to follow them with slightly more capacity and slightly more capabilities. Even at that, Microsoft had a hard time competing with their own 98SE. So, Microsoft advertised heavily. They told the general public that everyone else was going to the new operating system. For years Microsoft pushed that advertising hard. One new (so called) "upgraded" operating system at a time.

Over time it became more expensive to advertise sufficiently to get the intelligent consumer to purchase an updated operating system. Microsoft shoved those advertising costs onto the PC (personal computer) manufacturers and those consumer end prices went up fast. There was a macroeconomic condition that explained what Microsoft was doing. In that, Microsoft had to sell more and at a higher price just to keep up with their previous costs (escalating costs) of selling per unit.

Before we go further: In business, it has been proven that Windows NT4.0 can be made so secure and so stable that it is un-hackable. It has been tested multiple times including directly and indirectly by advertising to hackers and crackers and penetrators world-wide and challenging them in various ways to penetrate, crack, or hack specific Windows NT4.0 systems. They could not break in. They could not penetrate. It became an issue. Current, to this year, 2020AD, none of those systems have reported to me that they have ever been penetrated. Windows NT4.0. I think that the same can be said of Windows 2000 (no service pack).

For the average consumer, Windows XP sp2 (not service pack 3) is about as far forward as serious security goes in Microsoft Windows operating systems. But, that is just the operating system. Separately, UEFI, and Pre-Boot execution environments (which many hardware manufacturers incorporate these days) breaks the security before Windows even loads up.

To say that "it does not matter," is like the English ignoring Churchill's warnings. Even though Churchhill yelled to them what was going on, the general public preferred to look the other way and say, "it does not matter," and "just go along." Many millions of people paid with their lives for not thinking on their own. I use XP with Service Pack 2, without PBE, without UEFI, and I almost never download anything, and what I do download I run through a (non-"self"-upgrading) virus (etc.) checker.

[SmithAnchorWork]

You did not let it go.

I offered what I consider facts. (Everyone has their own personal opinion.)

You offered to personally attack, "keep living in their own delusional world".

You offered a vague reference with no substantiating backup, "Although the post by "Smith" didn't get the facts right and can be counter-attacked in tons of ways".

Your first advice (in my opinion) is harmful to the general reader. I think that bytes.com is a site for facts. Please dev7060 stop hurting the readers. But, your defense of that advice helped the general reader by their seeing your lack of facts in attacking the original post.

To reply to facts, or even what a person thinks in their own mind are facts, with personal slurs "delusional" and vague references to "can be counter-attacked in tons of ways" does not work. It is my opinion that you should have just left the original post alone.

I think that I shall now go read more of what rollerbladegirl is saying. That user sounds smart about security. Maybe I can learn something.

[dev7060]

Your first advice (in my opinion) is harmful to the general reader. I think that bytes.com is a site for facts. Please dev7060 stop hurting the readers. But, your defense of that advice helped the general reader by their seeing your lack of facts in attacking the original post.

And I consider your advice to be harmful to the general reader because it was filled with hatred and frustration towards a company with no valid fact checks whatsoever. Please Smith stop hurting the readers. And likewise, as you said, it is now my opinion that you should have just left the original post alone.

You offered to personally attack, "keep living in their own delusional world"

It's because you took it like that. Otherwise, it can also be viewed as advice to let one know of their current status.

You offered a vague reference with no substantiating backup

Because I don't consider the task of collecting references worth my time just for the sake of proving someone wrong online. And I did let it go because of the same reason. But I did consider presenting my opinion the right thing to do on what was being said. As you said "Everyone has their own personal opinion."

Presenting the facts/opinions isn't an issue, but there goes a manner in doing so. I used the phrases "i'd suggest...", "i wouldn't recommend" instead of directly attacking the OP. But Smith out of nowhere presented the conclusion to everyone saying "The original article is correct. Do as the article says, and learn correctly." and to me, that's rude and strong language and hence the reply was delivered. But pity you couldn't take the same language back. I don't think anyone deserves to be told such thing the way you did.

Your first advice (in my opinion) is harmful to the general reader.

Please dev7060 stop hurting the readers

It is my opinion that you should have just left the original post alone.

That user sounds smart about security. Maybe I can learn something.

You proved your attitude again by letting out such strong slurs. Nothing else to comment here.

[SmithAnchorWork]

I could be wrong in all of this, but...

Nice response dev7060. I thought that you were getting emotional in your first response. I think now that I may have misjudged your reply.

I think that you were simply stating your opinion in your own personal manner. That I can accept.

I stand corrected about my initial opinion of you.

We do not agree. But that is OK with me now. Most people seem to disagree on something. I thought that you were another of those spouting the current politically correct lines. I think that I might have been wrong about that. Now I think that you are a fighter that believes in his cause. I can peacefully accept that.

I have been reading some of your other posts and it looks to me like you believe what you say, and that is (in my opinion) better. Yes, now I think that I shall read your posts also. Your zest has won me over.

This again has been my opinion.

Thank you.

[SwissProgrammer]

SmithAnchorWork said the following.
"CLI (Command-line interface) programming is probably the worst start for new C++ programmers. They learn very little C++ there. The learning curve of new programmers has been proven to be damaged by the psychological inebriation of their becoming attached to the limits of the command line interface. Please, anyone who reads this post do not use any command line interface programming until you learn C++ first."

I have been programming since before Windows 3.1 . When I studied C it was with the command line interface. It was not harmful to learn starting with the CLI. The CLI was fine for C at the time.

I studied C++ years later and experienced what you describe. I remember the "attached to the limits of the command line interface". Old memories. Good point.

I had not discussed this much when instructing new programmers: it is a valid concern that I should have told them. I tell them to learn C++ (starting with 11 is ok). I tell my students to get the Stroustrup C++ book that is about the C++ version that they are learning. Learning the CLI is simply a part of C++ and is not a prerequisite. Maybe I should have told them to not learn with the CLI first. Thank you for your insight.

[SwissProgrammer]

I think that you can do this.

I have confidence in you.

Yes, YOU can.

Get that book by Stroustrup on C++11.

Read it, or at least scan though it and get a feel for what is there.

Once you get started with CodeBlocks 17.12, after maybe about 6 months of trying out little projects, getting a little comfortable with C++11 and programming for a graphical user interface GUI; here is an example to try which might give you some idea of the process of creating a game. A game can use a lot of concepts that you should learn.

The following link is to a process that uses python. Do not be swayed to learn python at this time. I consider python to be almost a waste of your time until you learn C++ really well, but the steps that the author uses are informative. Try not to study python at this time, and just keep in mind the process steps in your learning. https://www.gamedev.net/articles/gam...-budget-r2259/ .

Study a lot. Look up definitions a lot. Learn C++ fast. I think that you can do it. I have confidence in you. Skip the Command Line Interface. Skip learning C and go straight into C++11. Stay away from C#. Stay away from wxWidgets. Stay away from Visual C++ and Visual Studio C++. Stay away from any version of ".net" anything. Get into C++ seriously. I think that you can do it. Later, after you can write your own game in C++11 on your own without any books or internet searching, and after you can (at least a little bit) teach C++ to other people, then you can learn those other languages and pseudo-languages.

For the first year, reject ALL code that is not strictly C++11 and do NOT try to interpret other code into your using C++11.

Study.