Programming, computers, etc. [Serious]

[Anonymously Famous]

Python is my preferred programming language, and it has been for several years now. If you do want to give it a go, I'm sure any of us (who post in this topic anyway) would be willing to answer any questions.

My first programming language was C++, because that's what the high school class taught at the time.

[Froggychum]

Thanks alot guys, if I ever actually code something than Ill talk with y'all.

thanks

[Shai'tan]

I'm trying to learn C# because I'm making a program to help out at work (I've talked about this before). I earlier made the program as a windows forms application, but I've now learned that that is unsurprisingly outdated. So I'm remaking the whole thing as a WPF application (we still run W7 on the work computers, so no Universal Windows app) using material design and it turns out it's really difficult, though I am learning a lot about MVVM, WPF, design, etc.
One of the things I struggle with is that there are so many different ways to do things and not really any way to tell what's outdated and what's the best way to things. Like what I'm struggling with now - showing errors to the user. There are apparently several ways to do it and I think I've discovered the latest and best(?) way to do it - with IDataErrorInfo interface. Microsoft's pages are hard to read some times as a novice...

Needed to vent a bit about that. I have become quite fond of Visual Studio though, it has worked great so far in writing the application. Could've had better git interface as the one they have now is terrible and non-intuitive to navigate in.

[Uly]

The C family is really fun to learn from my experience

[Froggychum]

Is C as hard as Java?

[Uly]

Java is part of the C family.

[atomtengeralattjaro]

Is C as hard as Java?

I don't speak C, but it's a much lower-level language than java, and as far as I know a lot more simplistic (C++ is a more evolved version of it). So my guess is that it is difficult. You've gotta manage memory stuff on your own. Whereas in managed languages like java and C#, the system does a lot for you (memory management, automatic garbage collection, etc.)

[Froggychum]

okay i understood that.

THERE IS NO SARCASM IN THIS POST

[Uly]

as someone who had done C yes it is hard for an inexperienced programmer

[Froggychum]

Okay thanks, I thought so because...

A few years ago (i dont remember A SINGLE THING PERIOD NO EXCEPTIONS) I watched a C++ tutorial and it was VERY COMPLICATED.

Anyway if i ever code, it would be in Java, because I have Eclipse, and also know how to make a file, and stuff like that.


for Uly: What classes do you have? (I assume your in high school because your 14, what Grade? Im Grade 9 - so a freshman technically, second semester tho atm)

actually answer this somewhere else, i dont wanna break the [serious] rule, ITS SERIOUS!

[Arkannine]

C and C++ are hard especially for beginners because you'll be tripping over stuff you don't need to understand yet.
Java is okay but kind of complicated.
Python is easy and fun to use, while still being very useful in real world.
Programming is logic but still creative work.
Best way to learn permanently is aiming to make small projects you think would be fun and/or useful.
If you don't like it that's k too, not all people do.

[Uly]

that's k too

http://kparc.com/

[Froggychum]

i do like building little things once in a while.

I make some little batch RPG
a html website of funnies
possibly a Turing thing (forgot it but was doing some b4)


yeah thats my goal, i get the "dont expect perfect WOWrpg the first time" stuff i agreee with it


ok well bye again haah

[Anonymously Famous]

Python is easy and fun to use, while still being very useful in real world.

I totally agree. That's why I use it so often. There's so much stuff in the standard library that you can do some pretty complicated projects without turning to third party modules.

Just the other day, I created a program, complete with GUI, that manipulates the XML files in a folder (and subfolders, etc.), uses regular expressions, and reads from and writes to a CSV, all without leaving the standard library. It only took around 150 lines of code, too! Now, there are probably other languages you can do that in, but it's a Python life for me!

[Shai'tan]

Wow, that's pretty cool!

Never done any GUI in python, how did you do it?

[NeonTenn]

question:

is this a good computer for college? (the college than im going to gives out 'free' (not really free) laptops for all incoming freshman)

The 2016-2017 freshman class is using the Dell Precision 5510:

Intel i7-6820HQ (2.7 GHz, up to 3.6 GHz)
Nvidia Quadro M1100M with 2GB GDDR5 RAM
15.6” Display 1920x1080 w/ 720p HD Camera
16GB DDR4 2133MHz RAM (2 modules)
Intel 8260 802.11ac with Bluetooth 4.1
56 WHr Primary Battery
Backlit Keyboard
Two USB 3.0, One Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C), SD Card Reader
1 HDMI
256 GB Solid State Drive; spare drive bay (m.2 SATA only)
TPM 1.2 Security Chip
130 Watt AC Adapter
4 year Warranty with Accidental Damage Protection

im not very tech oriented so idk if this is good or not

you can message me if you have any tips or stuff

[Anonymously Famous]

That laptop should be fine for school.

Wow, that's pretty cool!

Never done any GUI in python, how did you do it?

Python has a GUI module in their standard library called tkinter.

[Shai'tan]

I've heard about that actually. I have a friend who has done more in python than I have, including UI work. How easy to use is it?

[Anonymously Famous]

I'm still at the point that I need to look up bits of code whenever I make something with a GUI. I'm sure it would be a little easier if I were more familiar with Tcl/Tk.

[Arkannine]

How easy to use is it?

It's pretty easy. You basically make elements, position them and assign callbacks.
This is something I made today in ~3 hours and 280 lines for a little freelance thing, including algorithm research for maze generation and solving. It uses Tkinter's Canvas widget and a few buttons.
What I don't really like about it is that you can tell the codebase is a bit dated and often inconsistent.
For example, the states for text entry are the constant tk.DISABLED for uneditable and uncopiable, tk.NORMAL for editable (why not tk.ENABLED?) and the string literal 'readonly' for uneditable but copiable (m8 w0t)

Qt looks nice, but I steer clear of it because of L/GPL.