Beginning Programming All-in-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition

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 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.
• Learn the basic ideas behind computer programming that work with all programming languages on any computer. Although programming a Windows computer is different from programming a Mac, a smartphone, a smart watch, or a super computer, the general principles remain 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.
• 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.

About 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 of computer programming so you’ll have no trouble learning more on your own.

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