Hey, all readers. I must thank in advance for any feedback I get regarding the guide I need for a complete noob like me in computer science.

I've never programmed in my life, would like to create my own games by getting introduced to programming. Got a book from Greg Perry "Absolute beginners guide to C" Great for learning the C language, haven't read yet because it has no way of implementing the teachings... I can just learn C but not use the language practicly. Doesn't even explain what a compiler is or how to use one or get one.

I went into a computer store asking to buy a C compiler for beginners, lol. They were like: "What?"

I have no idea where to start. I found a very good guide in programming for absolute beginner from python. The download contained everything from guide and files of examples n stuff ready for the go. I lost these files and the guide or a link to the site of this guide, and have been searching all the internet for it, even the python site guide recommendations...

How to know which guides are good and up to date? I'm so confused with all the guides out there, including the out of date ones.

Thanks in advance

EDIT: Programming for babies, because somehow programming guides for absolute beginners/dummies isn't basic enough for me... ^^

Buy this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginning-Python-Novice-Professional-Professionals/dp/1590599829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282576577&sr=8-1

Problem solved.

Compiler Navigate to the Visual Studio 2008 Express tab (couldn't direct link it) and get Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition. 2010 has interface bugs and is clunky. 2008 runs great.

After 30 days or something you have to register a microsoft live id with an e-mail to continue using it, but it's free it's a good compiler. There are other free compilers but not as many features.


Once you have it installed it's:

File>New Project
Choose a Win32 Console Application
Give it a Name and Location, uncheck create a directory (it will create one anyway, that's only if you want multiple projects in 1 folder)
Click Ok
Click Next
Select Console application
Uncheck Precompiled header
Check Empty project
Click Finish

Go up to Project in the menu or right click on the Source Files folder on the left
Do Add>New Item
Name it "main.c" and click OK

Now type this code:

int main(){ return 0; }

Now press Ctrl-S
Now press F7
Now press Ctrl-F5

voila, a program written in C

err double post

As an open source non microsoft alternative, codeblocks 10 is REALLY good.

Compilers are not "made for beginners". The purpose of the compiler is to read code written in the language and create an executable; and the language is the language.

There is no reason to buy a compiler. There are many good, modern compilers available for free.

If you are such a beginner, then how do you even know what C is? Why have you decided it's the language you want to learn? Did you research any other languages? OK, apparently you found something about Python, too.

Have you tried searching with Google for Python? Believe it or not, you will not be overwhelmed with pages about the type of snake.

Great thanks for advice everyone, I did search alot on internet, reinstalled my computer, lost all. I'll try advice here.

I am using Python myself to try to learn the basics of programming, and have come across two books that really are absoluter beginners' books. The first is titled "Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids (and Other Beginners") by Carter Sande. It can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Hello-World-Computer-Programming-Beginners/dp/1933988495/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282663151&sr=1-3

The second book (which I decided to buy) is "Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python", 2nd Edition, by Al Sweigart. You can find it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Invent-Your-Computer-Games-Python/dp/0982106017/ref=pd_sim_b_4

Neither book assumes that you know anything about programming, and the learning curve for neither book is particularly steep. I would caution against the book "Beginning Python from Novice to Professional" by Magnus Hetland because although the first couple chapters are excellent introductions to the Python language, the book's learning curve after the introductory material is steep.

One of the advantages of the Al Sweigart book is that the author uses the latest version of Python 3.1, as opposed to Python 2.x (although he points out the few differences between Python 3.1 and the earlier versions if you want to program his examples in an earlier version of Python.