Is there a fun way to learn to code?

[Hebon]

For a while now I've wanted to learn to code. I have some great ideas for programs and games, but I never knew how to make them. Looking online for some C++ tutorials helped at first, but I just couldn't stick with it. I'm not the most driven person, and tend to be a little lazy. Reading a black and white page and learning by rote isn't exactly entertaining.

What I was wondering is if there are any tutorials or games or whatever that are fun and engaging that will teach me how to code (preferably C++, but anything else is fine.).

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Unfortunately not. It's like maths or physics or whatever. You need all the boring stuff to even attempt the fun, interesting stuff.

 

[Sterling]

Unfortunately not. It's like maths or physics or whatever. You need all the boring stuff to even attempt the fun, interesting stuff.

This 100%. At OP, you must attempt to do the boring stuff before the problem solving and hacky fun stuff comes in. You don't have to do it all at once, just do it like a hobby until you can take a class or something.

 

[cwstjdenobs]

A book would probably be better than online tutorials. Much easier to cram then. There should be something in a library. Then use the online tutorials as references once you've got the basics down. You should be able to manage that much in a week or 2 at an hour or so a day.

 

[MadClaw]

I think it's all fun ahaha, and >that feeling when you make something work

D I'm going to be taking classes with a buddy soon, that'll be fun.

 

[Rydian]

Don't jump right into C++.

http://learnproglang.couch.it/

 

[Hebon]

That's disappointing to hear. I have a book on physics that explains everything in detail, but in comic form. It makes for an engaging read, while I really learn something. I was hoping for something like that.

 

[Mangofett]

Take a course in school. I wouldn't do intro to programming, but AP Computer Science is a great choice. If you're over 18, take a computer science course at your local community college.

 

[Deleted-236924]

Don't jump right into C++.

http://learnproglang.couch.it/

Yeah, C is better for starting.

 

[Rydian]

That's disappointing to hear. I have a book on physics that explains everything in detail, but in comic form. It makes for an engaging read, while I really learn something. I was hoping for something like that.

Well, you could certainly learn the basics like that, but the problem is if you learn something wrong to begin with it'll fuck you up for a while.

 

[JoostinOnline]

If you get into Java, learn the basics, then try out Robocode. It's so fun. My CS2 class would have battles with the robots we made. IIRC, winners got extra credit.

 

[I am r4ymond]

Come to think of it, I'm starting my freshman year already with a mandatory summer school. I have Conceptual Physics for science. I just skimmed through the whole book, and....it's pretty overwhelming. Though my physics teacher DID say something about us having to learn about trigonometry and programming (etc, etc) soon. I might as well try to learn a bit about programming beforehand to ease up on the subject.

Can anyone help me out as well with intros to programming and some other helpful links?

 

[dice]

you can google "the new boston" for some pretty good tutorials on all sorts of progamming languages. It's not very detailed (in the sense that you'll learn just the "main" stuff) but I found it to be of greater use than my lecturers.

 

[Terminator02]

i remember a similar question was asked a while ago, and Rydian wrote this post linking to a bunch of stuff...



Here it is: click me

 

[Urza]

i remember a similar question was asked a while ago, and Rydian wrote this post linking to a bunch of stuff...

Here it is: click me

Honestly, everything in that post is wrong, and I think it's quite apparent from his signature spaghetti-code that he's not one to ask when it comes to programming. No offense.


@OP

Project Euler is a great example of the gamification of at least one critical aspect of programming. The service is a language-agnostic series of (mostly mathematical) logic puzzles which are designed to be solved programmatically. Upon solving each puzzle, you gain access to a private forum of others who have solved said puzzles, many the older of which have upwards 10 years of discussion. It's a fantastic learning tool for any fledgling programmer once you have down the basic syntax for your target language.

http://projecteuler.net/

 

[Rydian]

I wrote that in response to something else, and while I did copy-paste it once or twice I stopped when I found the couch.it link, which takes things much more seriously.

 

[Hebon]

Don't jump right into C++.

http://learnproglang.couch.it/

You don't happen to have an archive of that web page do you? I started to look at it and then it 502'd. Waybackmachine and Google cache don't have anything.

 

[Rydian]

No I don't, but I just told the guy it's erroring.

 

[gameandmatch]

The book I am learning from make it less boring than a online tutorial.

 

[Hebon]

The book I am learning from make it less boring than a online tutorial.

What book is that?