Beginning Programming ALL-IN-ONE DESK REFERENCE FOR DUMMIES®

Introduction

If you enjoy using a computer, you may have even more fun learning to control a computer by writing your own programs. To learn how to program a computer, you need to understand three different subjects.

First, you have to understand that computer programming is nothing more than problem solving. Before you even think about writing a program, you need to know what problem you want your program to solve and how it will solve it.

Second, you need to learn the basic ideas behind computer programming in general. Although programming a Windows computer is different from programming a Macintosh or a super computer, the general principles are the same. By learning what these common programming principles are and why they exist, you can learn different ways to tell a computer what to do, step-by-step.

Finally, you also need to learn a specific programming language. A programming language represents just one way to express your ideas in a language that the computer can understand. By combining your knowledge of a programming language with programming principles and the type of problem you want the computer to solve, you can create your own computer programs for fun or profit.

Who Should Buy This Book

If you have any interest in programming but don't know where to start, this book can give you a nudge in the right direction. You won't learn how to write programs in a specific programming language, but you'll learn the basics about computer programming so you'll have no trouble learning ...