The language of programming

[groovicus]

Since I decided it was time to learn some programming skills, I went ahead and got started with Python, and downloaded a few tutorials and lessons, and eagerly set out to 'learn Python in 24 simple lessons", or something like that. I got through the "hello world" tutorial, and a few others, then I ran into a problem.

I ran into statements such as " when passing an argument to a function in a nested routine..." , my eyes glazed over, and I realized I wasn't having much fun at all. It was like reading a foreign language. What I needed to do, I decided, was get familiar with the language of programming, or I was going to get nowhere. I think this is where most beginners get discouraged; they don't even understand what it is they are trying to do. It's hard to follow the explanation of the code when you don't even understand what is going on.

I wasn't exactly sure where to put this because it is not specifically security related, but at least it helped me kinda understand what people are talking about. I'm sure someone will let me know if this doesn't belong here.

So here goes, in no particular order...(some of these are specific to Python)

Window- An area of the screen controlled by an application.

Control- A GUI object used for controlling an application.

Widget- A subset of controls (ie frame, label, button, etc.)

Frame- Type of widget used to group other widgets together.

Parent- For my purposes, it is a top level widget.

Child- widgets controlled by the parent widget.

Class- A set of related objects that share common charachteristics.

Heap- Area of preserved memory where a program stores information.

Null pointer- Directs a program to an empty location in the memory.

Operand- Any object capable of being manipulated ( 1+2, the one and the two are operands)

Operator- Something that manipulates operands ( 1+2, the + is the operator)

Pointer- Reference made to the address of another variable stored in memory.

Stack- A type of data structure that removes stored items in reverse order of how it was added.

Routine- Portion of code that may be called and executed anywhere in a program.

Statement- A single line of code used to perform a simple task.

Array- A set of sequential elements having the same intrinsic data type

Argument- A value provided to a function when the function is called.

Function- A named sequence of statements that perform an operation.

Parameter- A name used inside a function to refer to the value passed as an argument.

Local variable- A variable defined in a function, used only in that function.

Nesting- One program structure within another.

Instance- An object that belongs to a class.

Anyway, this short (and incomplete) list at least allows me to follow through the tutorials and understand what is being talked about.


Happy Programming!!

[White_Eskimo]

pretty good tutorial teaching newbies what the different words mean. I think you made a little typo, maybe you could edit it and change it:

Nill pointer- Directs a program to an empty location in the memory.

i think you meant to say NULL pointer, not nill pointer

[groovicus]

A null pointer directs a program to a 0 value in memory....yes/ No?

[White_Eskimo]

*Angry*
*goes over to bookcase and pulls out "Practical C++ Programming"*
*Finds NULL pointers on page 534*

NULL pointer- a pointer whose bit pattern is all zeros. this indicates that the pointer does not point to valid data.

there is your definition of a NULL pointer from a C++ book...

EDIT: If you want to read my tutorial about pointers in C++ go to http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=247055 just thought i might throw that in...

[groovicus]

lol...it's changed. Thank you. 8^)

EDIT: And thanks for the link....more stuff to learn...Whoohoo!!!

[White_Eskimo]

no problem, nice tutorial i wish someone wrote something like that a long time ago when i was just starting to learn C++

[HippoDuck]

I think NIL is also correct, but not in C++ maybe. Same thing different language I suppoce.

Also NOTHING is same in Visual Basic I think or maybe it was SQL, cant remember really

It does not point any where, as been stated before. (but im no expert tho)