Mac Programming for Absolute Beginners

Chapter 1. Understanding Programming

Programming is nothing more than writing instructions for a computer to follow. If you've ever written down the steps for a recipe or scribbled driving directions on the back of an envelope, you've already gone through the basic steps of writing a program. The key is simply knowing what you want to accomplish and then making sure you write the correct instructions that will achieve that goal.

Although programming is theoretically simple, it's the details that can trip you up. First, you need to know exactly what you want. If you wanted a recipe for cooking chicken chow mein, following a recipe for cooking baked salmon won't do you any good.

Second, you need to write down every instruction necessary to get you ...