

Where to Start in Computer Science? - fuzzypickle

Where do I start as a person with an interest in computer science? Obviously this is a vague question, so let me clarify.<p>There are a few things that I have little interest in, like OS, Game Development, and AI. However, Software development, Database design/management, Server administration, Data communication... and that's just what is coming off the top of my head.  I've been floundering and flailing around aimlessly in the world of computer science for a few months now, with some prior experience in very minor things like HTML, JScript, PHP (very little) and other web design related things. I am a 24 year old business student with only a semester to go before graduation and have come to the conclusion that if I could do it all over again, I would definitely be doing something computer science related instead.<p>I have access to resources like Lynda.com for free through my university, and know about MIT OpenCourseWare, but I sort of feel like a kid in a candy store being overwhelmed with everything when trying navigate through all the possibilities. It's simply overwhelming.<p>In your experience and knowledge in the field, what was the best way you found to progress step by step from one subject to the next in a productive manner? What are the things that you know that you consider abso-freakin-lutely vital to your arsenal of knowledge and skills?<p>I don't know really where to start exactly. I feel like I have the basic ideas of the abstraction of programming understood, but now that I'm here I don't know where to go next and what would be the most useful. The area is simply far too complex and diverse and I am simply far too beginner to try to decipher it all.<p>Please help. Thanks.
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debacle
Start with Richard Buckland's lectures on Computer Science on YouTube.

~50 1-2 hour lectures starting from machine code all the way up to software
engineering, told by a genial, honest, and passionate man with a likable
accent.

Not only will you want to continually keep watching them (because they are
compelling), but you will probably watch some of them more than once (because
they cover the fundamentals in a way that you really only get in a classroom).

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fuzzypickle
Oh, great :-). Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to lend your
advice... I can't wait to get started.

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twunde
For you that I'd say start with Python. It's used for software development,
scripting, system administration and web development which seems to hit
everything you want. I'd check out udacity's cs 101 which teaches how to build
a search engine in Python as well as Google's Python class:
<http://code.google.com/edu/languages/google-python-class/>

Since you're still in school it might be worthwhile to see if you could sneak
into an intro to programming class for your last semester.

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guga31bb
Seconding Google's Python class. It does an amazing job of covering the most
common use cases in a very short class. I'm still relatively new to
programming and whenever I'm writing code I invariably find myself referring
back to the lessons from the class.

Note that the class is taught in 2.x so if you're running 3.x then the example
code won't run. IIRC, updating the print statements for the new version was
the only change required to make them work.

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fuzzypickle
I had no idea Google even had classes

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kls
If it where me and I where starting out I would get an Arduino board and a
book on C/C++ development for Arduino. The reason I would do this is because
it is very much like the early days of PC development where you are closer to
the hardware and the feedback loop is quick, it also cuts away the layers and
layers of stuff that can be distracting in a less focused segment. While
working through learning to develop on the Arduino I would start reading
foundational theory books as the theory will start to click with what you are
doing. From there once I had a good grasp of C/C++ and what is going on in the
hardware, I would learn a Lisp and start reading the deeper theory books on
the various algorithms and start implementing those algorithms in Lisp. To me
this will give you the most well rounded foundation in CS that you can get,
you will learn two major branches of languages and you will be close to
hardware in the beginning.

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fuzzypickle
Would a Basic Stamp kit (from Parallax) be similar enough?

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kls
So long as it has a C compiler it would be fine, the big point is that you
want to manage memory as you want to understand how the memory and the
hardware is managed. I personally like to have people learn by doing and then
read the theory afterwards. For me at least the theory sticks better after
someone has witnesses it. My recommendation was because you said that you want
to learn computer science and to me that is the best way to do it. If you just
want to learn how to program then my recommendation would be entirely
different. But if you want to learn computer science then getting closer to
the hardware will help you see the theory. To get closer to the hardware their
is no better language than C, well you can do Assembly but at least with C you
can learn higher order software only concepts that would be difficult to learn
in Assembly.

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fuzzypickle
Got it. I'm already looking into it.

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dlf
Have you read "Code" by Charles Petzold yet? I highly recommend you get ahold
of this book. It's the quickest way to get to a solid understanding of the
fundamentals of computer science and makes for an interesting read with all of
the history laced in.

Check out Udacity too. I've been using it for about the past week or two and I
refer it so much I'm starting to feel like I work for them.

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fuzzypickle
Yes thanks to hacker news I have come to know about Udacity and can't wait to
sign up for next terms CS101. I am always reading I can't seem to get
enough... per your recommendation I'll definitely check it out.

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dlf
Yeah, I just started doing the course way late, since I just recently heard
about it myself. You can still access the materials. It might be good
motivation to haul through everything in time for the final exam. That's what
I'm trying to do.

The way it works is that if your final grade is higher without incorporating
your homework grades, they just take your final exam as your grade for the
class. This is nice because I'm turning in every homework late and getting a
0.

I don't care about the grades anyways. I like the structure of the instruction
for learning. You should sign up and just rock through Unit 1 and see what you
think of it. It goes fast at the beginning.

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shire
I recommend you learn either python, java, or c++. In fact learn all three you
will be an elite programmer (:

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fuzzypickle
Oh ok well that's reassuring because those are three languages I have toyed
around with in the past. From a step one scenario (where I consider myself to
be), do you have any recommended learning resources?

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shire
check out udacity amazing for first time programmers, or khanacademy computer
science section teachs python

