so basic as im older i have to learn more languages in a shorter amount of time

Well in a course you can always ask the tutor to clarify something you don''t understand in the notes, however with a book you can learn at your own pace (for example my C++ programming class at Uni was very slow to accomodate some people who frankly didn''t want to be there in the first place).

I''d use a book, and then if there''s anything you aren''t 100% sure of you can always search for a more indepth article on the web.

pan narrans | My Website | Study + Hard Work + Loud Profanity = Good Code

I''d recommend using a book and teaching yourself, but that is because I enjoy learning that way and have foun it effective. However, if you prefer somebody explaining things to you in person and getting assignments etc. then you might do better with a course.
Whichever route you choose, be sure to at least have a few books lying around to supplement you. A language reference is always handy (although MSDN isn''t bad).

Good luck.

-Mezz

It is hard to say which is better, teach yourself or learn in a class setting. When you teach yourself you go at your own pace and you can decide which chapters you want to read and which you want to skip. When you learn in a class, sometimes you are forced to do those chapters that you would otherwise skip (discipline).

For example, I just took my Assembly Language class at college. I thought I had a handle on assembly language, because I have read two books on the subject. But in those two books, I always skipped over hardware interrupts and graphics programming at the hardware level. But in the class, if you wanted a good grade, it was insistant on understanding hardware interrupts and graphics programming.

It was kinda tuff to learn those two concepts and I don't think I would have been able to do it if I was teaching myself (I usually skip the stuff that don't interest me). Sometimes when you teach yourself, the discipline isn't there, and you end up bypassing or ignoring the "hard" stuff. But in a class setting, you get homework assigned that is insistant on knowing that stuff. Since this was a class, I was forced to reread the chapters until I fully understood those two subjects.

Since our final was based on both of those subjects, I could not just skip them as I had done in the two previous Assembly Language books I had read. That just one of the reasons why a class setting is sometimes better; not to mention the instructor taught us how to code the MIPS and AVR processor (awesome!!)

-aNona

[edited by - aNonaMuss on January 20, 2003 9:35:04 PM]

Well I''m 20 and have been learning HTML for 2 weeks so take that! Hehe...I''m an English major focusing on dramatic writing (aka game storylines/world creation) so my IQ doesn''t have to be higher than the temperature at which water boils You guys and girls amaze me nonetheless with your intellect, keep it up! Its people like you that let me pursue my dreams of creative writing :D

Nefarsai
~Sociopolitical Creative Strategist

OK, here is my answer.
I''m 23 now, I bought a PC when I was 20. I began programming at 21, with Pascal, Delphi, C - C++, OpenGL, SDL, and so on. I''m going to the university, and that helps, but is not everything, I could learn all the stuff by myself, but the university keeps you going.
And let me tell you:
- I don''t like math''s, but I learned it
- I never programmed before
- I''m a musician, besides I''m studiying something else (Engineering)
- Anyone can learn, just start to do it.

Sorry about my english...

I am 47 and my answer is "yes." I started learning Basic for DOS in 1989 when I was 31. I went from Basic to QBasic, Pascal, C, C++, then to Delphi. In the 16 years I have learned what I have, I know it is harder for me to learn now but not because of my brain. It''s more of my other body parts just hurting more than they used to and distractions.

I also used to be able to focus on one thing better. I remember being able to sit and read a tech book for hours. Now I have to take several breaks, like every 30 minutes. Believe me, when older people tell you to take care of yourself while you are young, take their advice! Everything comes back to you someday no matter how invulnerable you think you are or feel.

Hope that helps from this old fart!

Larry.

I learned Basic when I was 14 by programming graphing calculators during class when I should have been learning. Im 18 now and know 5 languages (well) and am learning x86 assembly, which is, to say the least, a bit harder. So long as you take the time to understand ''why'' something works and not just ''that'' it works you''ll have no problem blasting through c++.

I''d say that age is not exactly critical when it comes to
learning any programming language. I''ve started, at the age of four, guided and teached by my grandfather, to type simple BASIC programs from magazines into my TS 2068, then switched to an SVI 728 Spectravideo at the age of 7 and finally to a PC 286 at the age of 10, learnt ASM and Pascal at the age of 13, I started using VB at the age of 14, and finally started learning C++ at the age of 15. Now I''m 20 and, after analyzing retrospectively my what and how I''ve learnt during my life, I''d say the best age to start is 14. Not only because you start thinking different, but because you start learning at school what you need to understand some aspects that you weren''t able to understand before. And, you have enough time to spend entire weeks learning... IMHO, what makes it harder to learn after a certain age is the lack of time to study, and not one''s age.

The first thing I want to say is that AGE IS NOT A PROBLEM!!!

I started to use computers at 8, learning HTML (very complex knowledge of it, using a HTML programming bible ;0!) then about half a year later moved to VB. I used VB and HTML for a while, but decided I needed something new. I began to expirement around with all diffreent languages, but my eye got caught on C. I used C for about 3 years, and when I was 11/12, I got into C++. Using C and C++ was in dos until last year when I started using MFC, SDL, DirectX, and different stuff. Right now, I have limited DX knowledge, but i'm pretty proficent in MFC, but mainly C++.

Therefore, age is NOT a problem.


Oh, btw, i'm 14 .

Also forgot to say i'm learning ASM on a graphing calc in math class...haha, and no thats not part of the course! :D

[edited by - CortePlaneta on January 20, 2003 12:00:01 AM]