Programming languge

[KGComputerFreak]

I want to start programming to make security things. Like password programs, IP scanners, and other things but what languge should I use. Python, C, C++? I want to become a perfessonal in this field so I would like any of your suggestions. Also any tutorals or books will be greatly appreciated. (Sorry I can not spell that well.

[foxyloxley]

You may find that the membership will be more forthcoming if you were to add some details along the lines of :

I have tried the following languages
I have been reading books by .......
I have attempted to make 'this' work

that kind of thing, the post comes over as a lazy mans guide to tuition
first thing is that YOU have to help yourself
THEN you ask for advice as to how you should proceed in relaton to the bullet points previously stated.

your profile shows you to be 15 / 16
so you have that most precious of all the commodities ......... TIME

get a book [buy or join a library] on each language
try each one
find the one that 'suits' you
learn THAT one

practice
get a job where you can utilise your new found knowledge
practice more

as for the spelling issue, it's no biggie here as the forum is truly international

welcome to AO
enjoy your time here
learn to learn

[jetherson]

the very first time i started learning to program is one of the best times of my life.

i wanted to suggest a brochure/book which i have read when i was still in gradeschool, but i forgot the title/author (silly huh).

anyway, i'll describe the book, in case somebody here recognizes the description.

first the preface of the book says that "this book is meant to make you think like a programmer, not to actually teach you how to program". that phrase helped me become a real programmer. it's a very good opening for a book for a beginner, wouldn't you agree?

it's more like a puzzle/quiz book than a conventional book. it's kinda for 10-year-olds book. there are logic questions on all of the pages. and some parts explains basic logic methodologies like "if-else" situations and "and-or" situations. flowcharts have been tackled very in-depthly. i think there's an entire chapter dedicated for flowcharts.

i distinctly rememberd the "help agent" on the book. it's a one-wheeled-robot. and most of the characters in the book are robots. sure, this is a book for kids.

if only i can find one again, i would want to give it to my son (when i get to have one).

all-in-all, foxyloxley's suggestion would be very good for you. and then i would like to add that you should read plenty of logic books.


welcome KGComputerFreak to the world of programming

[karmine]

how about instead of bashing the kid and dampening his spirits help him. my first book was Learn C in 21 days.....about as basic as it gets. software stores carry books a lot of the time like your elec botique and babbages (now software etc. i believe in a lot of places). C is I believe the most commonly used language and a good starting point for life. depending on what OS you want to develop for initially C is standard. windows nerds like their C++ and Assembly.

[foxyloxley]

how about instead of bashing the kid

where, exactly are we kid bashing
all I failed to add were links to google and a couple of books

we are not here to hold peoples hands
here we try to get you to help yourself
nothing wrong with that
if you thought that was kid baiting ...................
you must be erok's cousin

[Juridian]

C is asstastic. Learn C++, it builds strong bones and healthy teeth. Be sure to pick up some materials on software engineering while you're at it so you learn proper software development process too.

I'm sorry, windows nerds like c++ and asm? Windows nerds like .net languages such as managed c++, c#, and vb.net.

Noobs....*sigh*


http://public.research.att.com/~bs/C++.html
- Stroustrups page.

http://cplus.about.com/od/beginnerct...blcplustut.htm - Tutorials!

http://csis.pace.edu/~bergin/STL/STL.html - STL is goodness and joy, it's also a library of datastructures and algorithms that you can use in your c++ programs.

[metguru]

My suggestion would be to start with a language like BASIC. The reason you would start with languages like this is because they use more plain english and are easier to understand. Also, you can read other peoples code easier even if you don't know all the commands, because it uses english. I started with Liberty Basic, http://libertybasic.com/

[edit]
This language is very well explained in Beginning Programming for Dummies
Book Website
Amazon
[/edit]

it has its pros and cons, but I think it is excellent for beginners.

There is info on programming languages allong with a chart that shows different languages and how they are rated on difficulty to learn, expert usibility, etc.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Square/3472/program.html

If you want to see lots of programming language code in different languages, here is a great website to look at:
http://www.99-bottles-of-beer.net/

[ShagDevil]

Whatever you do, don't learn COBOL. I was a Cobol programmer for years...
Cobol corrupts the brain, disrupts neuron activity and makes you a drunk. Well, ok, it doesn't make you a drunk...I was a drunk before I learned Cobol.
Seriously though, I've heard from multiple sources that C & C++ are the way to go. Java, J++ aren't bad either (although they are intense languages).
The only advice I can really give you comes from experience. Flow charts are your friend. Trust me, they seem trivial but, can help you develop sound programming techniques not to mention, they help you find flaws in your logic *long* before your boss is yelling at you because you wrote 8,000 lines of code and the damn program doesn't work AND it's going into production in 2 days.
Remember:
Flow charts = friend
Remote Testing Site for your Company's Programs = Anti-Christ.
Good Luck.

[hexadecimal]

heh... i dont have the patience to program code.. which is why i work at inetech to begin... kidding.. which is why im going the network admin route.. although programming is a building block to a good admin.. you do your job better if you know how exploits work, how progams work, and where possiable problems can be found


random opnion

[biosx]

Your first days of learning programming are going to be fun and satisfying, but only if you keep with it. I used to have many friends in high school that were interested in computers and programming, but as time went on, some of our skills developed quickly and others did not.

Here is my advice for you:

1. Learn C
The C programming language is one of the most widely used programming languages. It is easy to read, easy to write, and not difficult to understand. The best part about it is that it is relatively small, so you can get up to speed quicker than other languages that have object-oriented or web-related features (such as C++ and Java). Also, as time goes on, you'll realize that many programming languages usually stick to the C-style syntax. There are countless reasons why I would recommend C first. It is the first programming language I mastered (although I dabbled in Pascal first but it was a short stint).

Recommended Reading: "The C Programming Language" by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie.
This is the most popular book on programming and you probably don't even know it. Have you ever noticed that many beginner programming books start out with a "Hello World" program? Well, this book is where that started. Written by the creators of C, this was the first definitive book on the C programming language. It is clear, concise, and, being just over 250 pages, relatively short. You will find that information in this book is dense as well, but not so dense to the point where you are overwhelmed. I read this book cover to cover when I was 17 and I feel that it gave me the foundation to become the professional I am today. Look around the net, this book is one of the best resources on both C programming and programming in general.

2. Learn Assembly programming for Linux
After you master C, you will have a great understanding of how the computer works through logic and allocates memory. The next natural step is to see how this happens in a very low level sense. Mind you, mastering C will probably take a year or more, so don't rush it. Anyway, learning assembly programming sounds very difficult to some. However, if you have a strong foundation in C, then you are half-way there. The only difficult part is interfacing with the operating system, that is why I recommend learning assembly programming on Linux. It is a very well designed OS and using assembly with its system-call is extremely simple. However, it is not simple to the point where you aren't learning anything. You will still learn about the stack, the heap, calling conventions, system-calls, etc.. If you can master assembly programming while having a foundation in C, you will have the skills to be proficient in many areas such as application security, application development, operating system development, and the list goes on and on.

Recommended Reading: "Programming From The Ground Up" by Jonathon Bartlett
This book is a great introduction to assembly programming using Linux. Although it is meant for beginner programmers, I feel that it would be a little too much for a newbie. However, a person with C programming experience could dive right into this book and begin learning quickly. Much like K&R, this book is clear, concise, and relatively short at around 300 pages. The book clearly describes the use of Linux system-calls, the stack, buffers, the C calling convention and many other topics. The best part about this book is that it is free! You can purchase this book from most book stores if you like (I did), but if you are cheap or just curious you can downloaded this book under the GNU Free Documentation License. For anybody that knows C/C++ and wants to learn assembly programming, I highly recommend this book.

3. Focus your expertise.
Once you have the skills to program, begin to focus your skills in a certain area. You could program network scanners like you wanted. Or you can focus on an area of business such as financing or architecture. The sky is limit and it is completely up to you.

I can't recommend any reading material, but I'm sure you can find something.

However, I will repeat this. Learning programming is fun, exciting, and pays off in the end only if you stick with it. If you are going to devote time to learn about something, then sit down and do it. I can't stress this enough.

Good luck!