Looking to learn programming languages on a budget (or lack of one)

[Eh Team]

As the title says i am looking to learn how to program, but on a slim budget of free. I've been interested for a long time, I just haven't done anything about it. Well now I am getting ready to do something about it, but I don't know where to look for good material. A quick google search netted me a few things from MITx, which I am led to believe is very good quality, but is apparently meant to be integrated with on campus classes at MIT.

I'm most interested in learning C++ but other languages are welcome, I'm mostly looking to learn languages that are better for game and simulator programming.

So with that much in mind please throw advice, links, thoughts, and whatever else you think would be beneficial to learning programming languages in a reply.

Many Thanks in advance

Spoiler: Links of courses/good material

MITx C and C++ Introduction course
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...duction-to-c-and-c-january-iap-2013/index.htm

MITx C++ Introduction
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...-introduction-to-c-january-iap-2011/index.htm

 

[Furinkazen]

As the title says i am looking to learn how to program, but on a slim budget of free. I've been interested for a long time, I just haven't done anything about it. Well now I am getting ready to do something about it, but I don't know where to look for good material. A quick google search netted me a few things from MITx, which I am led to believe is very good quality, but is apparently meant to be integrated with on campus classes at MIT.

I'm most interested in learning C++ but other languages are welcome, I'm mostly looking to learn languages that are better for game and simulator programming.

So with that much in mind please throw advice, links, thoughts, and whatever else you think would be beneficial to learning programming languages in a reply.

Many Thanks in advance

Spoiler: Links of courses/good material

MITx C and C++ Introduction course
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...duction-to-c-and-c-january-iap-2013/index.htm

MITx C++ Introduction
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...-introduction-to-c-january-iap-2011/index.htm

Trial versions of Visual Studio available here with resources.

 

[sesselpupser]

Codecademy is a good starting point, also try Processing, Arduino (C-likes, but the former is for visual applications and the latter for embedded microcontrollers) and Raspberry Pi (interesting for learning how Python can integrate into Linux). None of those are especially related to PC software programming specifically but they will get you started for cheap and there's a ton of projects to make. Also see if you can get an 8086 emulator (there's one called 8086Emu or Emu8086) that'll teach you what Assembly is, how it works and from that you'll learn how computers actually work, but that's very, very heavy stuff as most low-level languages are.

Right now, for instance, I'm working on making a G27 clone using an Arduino Leonardo and I'm going to use it as a doorway into driver programming to hopefully end up writing the drivers, interface and hardware programming for a complete open source wheel. It's a big project and I expect it'll take years but I'm learning a lot.

Personally I find you need an application in mind first, as you have, so you can then seek out resources and always have a direction in which to go. I got into Arduino and Raspberry Pi because I felt I should, but without specific projects in mind I ignored them for a long, long time. Have you tried having a play around with Unity or making mods for Source engine games? Those might be good starting points to learn by doing.

 

[Ross]

If you want something relatively simple to start off with, I recommend Pascal or Python. I use Pascal/Delphi and it's pretty basic but easy to get the hang of. Of course this isn't much use for game coding but they set the basis for some of the more complicated languages such as C++ and Java.

 

[TenEightyOne]

So with that much in mind please throw advice, links, thoughts, and whatever else you think would be beneficial to learning programming languages in a reply.

Personally I think you should go with Javascript. Most of the syntax (ie the way commands are written) is easy to pick up and the logic (ifs, ands, thens) is straightforward.

Pretty quickly you can get into using free, open source engines such as babylon.js and the like. Most of what you learn in Javascript will be transposable to other "mainstream" languages.

Here are some Babylon demos to show the power of something as simple as JS, no software is needed to run these except a modern, normal web browser.

 

[BobK]

A few minutes with Google turns up any number of C++ tutorials. Unsurprisingly some of them look very good while some look not-so-good. One that caught my eye was http://www.learncpp.com/ .

Another very good resource for a variety of programming/computer topics is https://www.udacity.com/ but be aware that you have to create an account. Yes they want your email address, but the only unsolicited stuff I get is a new course offering maybe once a month, if that often.

 

[TenEightyOne]

A few minutes with Google turns up any number of C++ tutorials.

Back when I did my BSc in the mid 90s I was told I'd never get anywhere in computing without learning C. I still haven't and it doesn't seem to have held me back

 

[ECGadget]

I advise against Pascal. It gets you into bad habits of case not mattering. If you want some nice visual programming courses I recommend checking out 'TheNewBoston' on youtube. Travis and Bucky are very helpful, both to those who are new to programming and old hats who just run into a spot of bother.
Once you have grasped coding happily, you can pick up an Arduino, RPi or Beaglebone and start learning to program physical objects, GPIOs, PWMs and all that. My recommended languages are C (and as an extension C++), Python (which is very flexible) and Java (even though it can be annoying)

 

[AOS-]

As the title says i am looking to learn how to program, but on a slim budget of free. I've been interested for a long time, I just haven't done anything about it. Well now I am getting ready to do something about it, but I don't know where to look for good material. A quick google search netted me a few things from MITx, which I am led to believe is very good quality, but is apparently meant to be integrated with on campus classes at MIT.

I'm most interested in learning C++ but other languages are welcome, I'm mostly looking to learn languages that are better for game and simulator programming.

So with that much in mind please throw advice, links, thoughts, and whatever else you think would be beneficial to learning programming languages in a reply.

Many Thanks in advance

Spoiler: Links of courses/good material

MITx C and C++ Introduction course
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...duction-to-c-and-c-january-iap-2013/index.htm

MITx C++ Introduction
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electric...-introduction-to-c-january-iap-2011/index.htm

If you know Java, you're well on your way to landing a job.

 

[eran0004]

Python is pretty good to start with as it's clean looking and easy to learn. It will help you to learn the basics of programming, which in turn will make it easier to learn other languages.

I can recommend the book Beginning Python, by James Payne. Head First Python is good as well, although more limited in scope than Beginning Python.

As for online tutorials, I think this is pretty good: http://www.afterhoursprogramming.com/tutorial/Python/Overview/
It has a code simulator on the webpage, which makes it easy to instantly test the code.