

Ask HN: What computer skills should you learn first? - Sagat

I know how to roughly use a computer and fix most technical issues thanks to Google. But I don&#x27;t know much more than that (no programming or hardware experience for instance) and I don&#x27;t know where to start.<p>What should be the first things to learn when trying to become more computer literate after mastering the basics?<p>Regards
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winter_blue
I'd suggest two things:

* Learn Python -- try making some small tools in it.

* Learn how to use Linux -- you can start with Kubuntu and familiarize yourself with terminal and the other things you'll encounter here.

But really -- if you want to be more "computer literate", just focus on
programming. Writing small tools; and maybe even taking on a big project like
building a 2D game (if that's what you want)...

~~~
enthdegree
If you want to learn to code, you might find it worthwhile to think up a real-
life computing task you could use a program to automate, then write, say, a
Firefox extension, a Python script, or a contribution to an existing codebase.
This has the advantage over game programming in that:

* You can avoid all the interface baggage that comes with game programming. (unless, of course, this is what you're aiming to learn)

* You will be solving a real problem, instead of creating a fake one for people to solve.

For example, this project was how I first got my feet wet with python:
[http://www.nerdhow.com/uzblsms-a-way-to-browse-the-web-
via-t...](http://www.nerdhow.com/uzblsms-a-way-to-browse-the-web-via-text-
message/)

I guess my point is that I learned (and am learning) how to program by
treating code as means to an end, rather than learning to program just for the
sake of programming.

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p1esk
Read "Code" by Petzold.

As far as practical computer skills, study any book on A+ certification (maybe
even get that cert), then learn Linux/Python

------
NAFV_P
To print the contents of a file onscreen.... If you want to do it in 1 line of
code: bash If you want to do it in 5: Python If you want to do it in 30: C

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ficklelarry
How to use a terminal

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paloohza
check out some courses on - codecademy.com, codeschool.com, and
teamtreehouse.com/,

~~~
ludwigpacifici
or else [https://www.coursera.org/](https://www.coursera.org/)

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dossy
How to Google search.

