11 Jul, 2010, Hakuten wrote in the 21st comment:
Votes: 0
ill give it a try, i think i found me a good mentor, i really think that maybe learning a lil about how c++ works first then working from an example will work for me. ill try a tic tac toe game first tho
11 Jul, 2010, JohnnyStarr wrote in the 22nd comment:
Votes: 0
The potential problem with a mentor-ship that I see, is that you won't be learning anything at first on your own. A big part about
programming in general is problem solving. If you start out with someone holding your hand along the way, you may find it harder
to really think for yourself. Keep in mind, my impression from what you're implying is that your "mentor" is someone that devotes
their time to teaching you not only the basics, but continuously teaches you through some sort of structured course.

As where I don't feel that this will be a good usage of time for either of you, there is something to be said about having a "consultant".
For instance, I personally am self taught, but I consider the counsel of forum members to be a fantastic asset.
11 Jul, 2010, Runter wrote in the 23rd comment:
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I dunno. I think there's something to be said for the traditional education process. I.e. mentors, teachers, whatever you want to call it. The effectiveness of private tutelage is entirely dependent upon the ability of the teacher and the passion of the student. It isn't a silver bullet, but it's certainly not a wrong way to go if conditions are cleared.
11 Jul, 2010, David Haley wrote in the 24th comment:
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There is a big difference between a mentor/teacher and somebody who does all the work for you. Which you prefer depends on whether you want to optimize the short or long term…
11 Jul, 2010, Runter wrote in the 25th comment:
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I want someone to do all the work for me. You free, David? :)
11 Jul, 2010, Hakuten wrote in the 26th comment:
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well considering that i am consistantly posting about wanting to learn to code myself, lol it should be clear that i want to learn, not just have someone do it for me. However i have found me a tutor of sorts, who is currently working on his own mud, which i build for as well, kind of a joint project, and i get to kinda sit and watch everything first hand. and get some helpful tips along the way :) super
12 Jul, 2010, Davion wrote in the 27th comment:
Votes: 0
Hakuten said:
well considering that i am consistantly posting about wanting to learn to code myself, lol it should be clear that i want to learn, not just have someone do it for me. However i have found me a tutor of sorts, who is currently working on his own mud, which i build for as well, kind of a joint project, and i get to kinda sit and watch everything first hand. and get some helpful tips along the way :) super


This is sorta OT, it's more of a tutor-tip. If you're going to learning to work with Linux, it's best if you get your tutor (or whoever the sysadmin is) to install screen, and use that to watch you tutor interface with Teh Linux. It can help a lot to actually see the process unfold before your eyes.
13 Jul, 2010, Hakuten wrote in the 28th comment:
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ill ask him about it, we are currently tweakin out our code and he has numerous small, relatively easy projects i could work on, and pretty much get coached through it. Hopefully i can pick up some good knowledge. He was pretty surprised by what i managed to pick up on my own by just reading a couple helpfiles here and there, as far as understanding some of the logic behind it.
13 Jul, 2010, ralgith wrote in the 29th comment:
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One of the best ways to learn for me is to get down and dirty with the SAM'S Teach Yourself series. I've used several of those books to good effect, and you can pick a lot of them up off Amazon.com for a penny plus shipping.
14 Jul, 2010, Parhelion wrote in the 30th comment:
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I've seen the SAM's seires floating around but never thought to try it for any of the things I've needed. They were a little pricey (compared to other DIY-programming books).

One of the problems I've found with using a book like that is that they start out incredibly slow with a well-written first chapter, but then accelerate to quickly. By chapter 3, you're doing stuff that's in chapter 17 with the assurance that "you'll understand later", all for the sake of making a larger, more complex program.
14 Jul, 2010, ralgith wrote in the 31st comment:
Votes: 0
Oh, I don't swear by SAM's by any means. Some of the Teach Yourself Series are good, and some try to cram too fast for beginners.

I would shoot for the Teach Yourself in 21 Days over the Teach Yourself in 24 Hours books for a total newbie. I myself like the 24 Hours books because I can do 8+ hours of them a day and breeze through in 2-3 days. Then start fresh from the beginning and drill it into my brain again by doing it all over. So in a week I'll have crammed another language. Oh sure, I wont be the best at it, but I can get things done in it… and as with all languages I'll continue to learn the more I use it.

Another series I like is Wrox Publishing's "Beginning" series. I learned PHP mostly from Beginning PHP5.

Lastly, I'm not ashamed that I have several "For Dummies" books either.
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