[Klug-general] linux/open source course for getting into IT

[James Morris]

On 8 June 2010 08:07, Peter Childs <pchilds at bcs.org> wrote:
> On 7 June 2010 22:08, James Morris <james at jwm-art.net> wrote:
>> i spend quite a lot of my time programming (or trying to). i like to
>> think i am reasonably good at it, but with still a lot to learn..
>>
>> anyone have any views on course/training in linux/open source
>> programming/other which are worth looking into (or which courses to
>> avoid)?
>>
>> this course in particular interests me:
>>
>> http://pitmantechnical.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35:unix-programming&catid=16:open-source&Itemid=14
>>
>> i've touched on many of the areas in the first seven "chapters", and
>> this past year begun working with coding multi-threaded applications.
>>
>> any thoughts/advice?
>>
>> but i'm mid-thirties, and my work experience is in
>> manual/industrial/temporary labour, with degree education in art!
>>
>
> Probably the best way to learn to program, is to start a project, keep
> it simple at first and then expand it, Set your self an aim and then
> work out how to do it. Above all try to find something interesting to
> you, that's going to keep your interest, and be a challenge.

Yes I've done this route several times now.


> Then pick a language, ask questions read, books. I learnt to program
> on the ZX Spectrum back in the days when you expected to be able to
> program to be able to use a computer. In these days when computers are
> made so simple you don't need to know the very much to getting them
> working right, its more difficult to learn.

I learnt to program on the Amstrad CPC 464.

Lately I've been coding in C. I ask questions, I read books, I look at
code which does things similar to what I want to do. On some
programming community sites you can see people talking about how bad
some of the programmers a company has hired are. I see that and know I
could do better, but how can I prove it.

the projects, since 2002-sh
(project name, language, libraries used, misc)
1) wcnt  C++, libsndfile, ladspa, libsamplerate
2) gkII C, gtk (a fork of gfract)
3) xorcurses C ncurses
4) xorgramana C, SDL (a fork/rewrite/reimplementation of xorcurses,
unfinished/abandoned)
5) mdz C, gtk, POSIX threads, mpfr (a fork/rewrite/strip-down of gkII)
6) boxyseq* C, gtk?, JACK (JACK Audio Connection Kit)

*current project in progress.

wcnt originally was short programs written in Q(uick)Basic, I reverse
engineered a WAV header using MS Debug, and some time later began
learning C in borland turbo C under MSDOS6. I read somewhere that "if
you want to learn how to program, use Linux" which pretty much
convinced me straight away :-)

> Also if you eventually want a job in programming you can always say I
> wrote this and found that a challenge and this will often count for
> far more than any certificate.

How do you know when what you've done will be enough for people to
take notice of?

All of these projects listed about are available for download. None of
them are by any means popular. I've learnt new things for each of
them.

One employer I applied to, wrote back rejecting my application, but a)
at least they had the decency to let me know, and b) they advised me
to enroll on a programming course of study, mainly to show I take it
seriously.


James.


>
> Peter.