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You Need To Learn How To Program
Slate ^ | Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at 4:48 PM ET | Farhad Manjoo

Posted on 01/13/2012 1:08:17 AM PST by Sonny M

If you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution, let me suggest an idea that you might not have considered: You should learn computer programming. Specifically, you should sign up for Code Year, a new project that aims to teach neophytes the basics of programming over the course of 2012. Code Year was put together by Codecademy,* a startup that designs clever, interactive online tutorials. Codecademy’s founders, Zach Sims and Ryan Bubinski, argue that everyone should know how to program—that learning to code is becoming as important as knowing how to read and write. I concur. So if you don’t know how to program, why not get started this week? Come on, it’ll be fun!

Code Year’s minimum commitment is one new lesson every week. The company says that it will take a person of average technical skill about five hours to complete a lesson, so you’re looking at about an hour of training every weekday. That’s not so bad, considering that the lessons are free, and the reward could be huge: If you’re looking to make yourself more employable (or more immune from getting sacked), if you’d like to become more creative at work and in the rest of your life, and if you can’t resist a good intellectual challenge, there are few endeavors that will pay off as handsomely as learning to code.

(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Education; Reference
KEYWORDS: codeacademy; codeyear; coding; computers; education; onlinelearning; programming; tech
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To: raybbr
LD A,10100101B
OUT (01),A
START : LD HL,0070H
LD C,0AH
COMP : LD A,(HL)
CP B
INC HL
JP Z,MATCH
DEC C
LD A, 00H
CP C
JP NZ,COMP
JP Z, NMATCH
MATCH : LD A,0F0H
OUT (01),A
HALT
NMATCH : LD A, 0FH
OUT (01),A
HALT

61 posted on 01/13/2012 4:56:35 AM PST by whd23 (Every time a link is de-blogged an angel gets its wings.)
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To: Sonny M

“Code for Dummies” wouldn’t even dumb it down enough for me.


62 posted on 01/13/2012 5:02:45 AM PST by Miss Conservative (Those who yell tolerance the loudest, have the least for my views.)
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To: Bobalu

If you do I’m in - if and when I can find the time. I’ve got 25+ years coding on everything from 8 bit micros to IBM big iron. Assembly, BASIC, Fortran, Ada, C, C++, Java, bash, you name it...


63 posted on 01/13/2012 5:16:24 AM PST by ThunderSleeps (Stop obama now! Stop the hussein - insane agenda!)
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To: Sonny M
I hate programming -— I will definitely pass.
64 posted on 01/13/2012 5:17:19 AM PST by Porterville (Methink'st thou art a general offence and every man should beat thee.)
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To: Fresh Wind

That would be me - bfl.
;)


65 posted on 01/13/2012 5:19:23 AM PST by spankalib (The Marx-in-the-Parks crowd is a basement skunkworks operation of the AFL-CIO)
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To: jonrick46
The question is, what code programming language to learn?

Like a lot of things in life, the answer is: it depends. What do you want to do with it? I, personally, think a good place to start is BASIC. The B in BASIC for "Beginners". If you tell me what you are looking to do, I'll have a better idea of what language can best help you.

66 posted on 01/13/2012 5:19:53 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Ceterum autem censeo, Obama delenda est.)
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To: Bobalu

I would be interested.


67 posted on 01/13/2012 5:53:46 AM PST by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: Sonny M

Self-taught programmer here - started with BASIC and have messed around with everything from there to C#.

More of a hobby, but I did do it for a living and networking for about six years. Then moved on! Learned C from the original K&R book as well.


68 posted on 01/13/2012 5:58:48 AM PST by ExTxMarine (PRAYER: It's the only HOPE for real CHANGE in America!)
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To: Sonny M
I have no idea what any of that means, LOL.

90 END mean "That's it, there is no more". For the rest of it, someone else will have to help you. That's as far as I could get :>

69 posted on 01/13/2012 6:00:23 AM PST by bcsco
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To: Bobalu

I’d be interested. Built some PC’s back in the early 90’s, thought about programming but took classes on networking instead. It’d be fun to do.


70 posted on 01/13/2012 6:16:19 AM PST by bcsco
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To: Cronos

I have been programming for 30 years and had to learn several different languages. Right now I am doing pl/sql for a data warehouse. I have encouraged all my children to learn some technical skill. I think it’s the best way to ensure job security. I am 66 years old and work at least 60 hours a week; age is not important. The skills you learn are invaluable.


71 posted on 01/13/2012 6:25:45 AM PST by texasx
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To: Sonny M

bump!


72 posted on 01/13/2012 6:29:13 AM PST by pgkdan ("Make what Americans buy, Buy what Americans make, and sell it to the world" Perry 2012)
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To: Woodman

Probably some PLC’s somewhere up on the Alaskan pipeline that use it.. A simple language, not much can go wrong, very compact.

And I’ve ran compiled Basic on my desktop. It’s FAST!!!


73 posted on 01/13/2012 6:31:26 AM PST by djf (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2801220/posts)
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To: Bobalu

I’ve always wanted to take on an embedded project - we did some of this in grad school - I think we had microchips (?) and we flashed the instructions, had simulators etc.

The key for me would be coming up with a really cool idea for an application - i.e. I think execution would be the easy part - the tricky part would be figuring out a cool use for the technology.

I’m definitely interested - I write C code for a living so I know my if/elses and for loops.


74 posted on 01/13/2012 6:31:38 AM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: Teotwawki

Bump for later.


75 posted on 01/13/2012 6:38:29 AM PST by Teotwawki (To Him be the glory throughout all generations.)
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To: Cronos

I have read that between 60 and 80 percent of transactions in F500 companies STILL go through Cobol at some point. Many of these are legacy applications that would cost a fortune to replace.

And Cobol/DB2 Cobol/Cics programmers are dropping like flies.

Learn Cobol now and a person could write their own ticket!


76 posted on 01/13/2012 6:39:35 AM PST by djf (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2801220/posts)
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To: bcsco
If I end up doing this it will be about
Programming this particular controller in C
and assembly. It runs at 16.5mhz without a crystal
and at up to 20mhz with one. I never use a crystal
since it costs you 2 I/O pins.

This processor has internal RAM, EPROM and flash memory. It can easily communicate with a PC using USB. It's a great chip for beginners as it's so cheap and can do so much.

I usually get them 100 at a time and they cost about 1.25 each. I buy from Mouser.com but lots of people stock them.

Here is the pdf datasheet

I use these little processors to build hobby type fun projects. But they can be called on to do serious work as well. It's basically a whole computer for a buck and a quarter.

The compiler is free and of excellent quality, as is the free IDE.

77 posted on 01/13/2012 6:52:57 AM PST by Bobalu (Newt is just the a-hole we need at a time like this)
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To: Sonny M
►bump◄ I need to learn more languages ►/bump◄
78 posted on 01/13/2012 6:58:58 AM PST by ßuddaßudd (7 days - 7 ways a Guero y Guay Lao << >> with a floating, shifting, ever changing persona)
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To: Auntie Mame

bump


79 posted on 01/13/2012 7:06:58 AM PST by Auntie Mame (Fear not tomorrow. God is already there.)
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To: raygun

Stray cat poop? I though it was civets...


80 posted on 01/13/2012 7:09:26 AM PST by green iguana
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