Course claims you can learn web development in 5 months

[kryss]

https://www.webopedia.com/Programming

A to Z of programming terms.

If you really want to do this, you need to be prepared to make more of an effort.

[Protocol Penguin]

No need to be unpleasant. I don’t ‘get’ the explanation given, I’ve looked it up from a few sources, it just doesn’t make sense.

[kryss]

A variable is a box that you are going to put something in. It could be a number, a character or a sequence of characters. You can look in the box while the program is running but once it ends, the box gets emptied and next time you run the program you might put something different in the box.

I didn't say anything unpleasant, I merely stated a simple truth.

[Protocol Penguin]

I am trying to work hard on this. I lack experience, or means to get access to taught instruction. I’m doing what I can with what little I have. The free websites with guides seem aimed at people who know the jargon already, I haven’t found any user-friendly beginners ones yet/

Thanks for the explanation.
So I summary, the variable is a number or word that is carried through a process, and can be altered each time a process is carried out?

[kryss]

Basically. Like x that we use in maths.

[replicashooter]

This thread summed up in a few images:











Also, whilst I'm here:

*hands @kryss the "Patience Of A Saint" award

[cutmymilk]

Im not sure if you are ribbing us at this point, dude! Just use scratch. You need variables in that, despite the "kiddiness".

[Protocol Penguin]

[MENTION=2492]cutmymilk[/MENTION] I haven’t learnt this before, I’m new to all this, it’s all pretty difficult stuff. I’ve been googling for stuff like “basic computer programming” and so on, get buried under impenetrable jargon which doesn’t make any sense. I’ve been told several time that it’s perfectly possible to self-learn all this, but that seems rather questionable from what I’ve seen. Suppose I’ve got to keep looking to see if any explanation out there makes actual sense.

[Colin]

10 PRINT PROGRAMMING
20 GOTO 10
RUN








Sorry, thats the extent of my knowledge, and i'm not even sure that's what i did in Dixons as a kid.

[kryss]

Well, that is BASIC programming, hur hur.

[MartyG]

10 PRINT PROGRAMMING
20 GOTO 10
RUN








Sorry, thats the extent of my knowledge, and i'm not even sure that's what i did in Dixons as a kid.

Well that wouldn't work, either you'd need to declare the variable PROGRAMMING or put it in quotes

[Colin]

Hence why I became an electrician and didn’t work in computers.

[Brad]

My advice to Penguin would be not to bother. Sounds harsh but not everyone's cut out for every type of career. I want to be really good at taking photographs. I've been trying for over 30 years, I've practiced, read all the books, been on courses etc. I can even develop my own film and produce enlargements - old school way with a darkroom and chemicals, dodging and burning etc. I know all the maths behind getting exposure perfect, depth of field, rule of thirds etc. However, my photographs, 99% of the time, are just not that appealing to look at! I keep at it because it's a hobby and I occasionally get a good one but if I were hoping to make a living out of it I'd have given up long ago.

I've taught programming in the past (at BTEC level) and never have I come across someone who really struggled early on and then one day it clicked with them; if they struggled on day one then they never ever got it. The sites you've been to should not have left you feeling like they were talking gibberish or jargon; they explain things very simply IMO but it's just not for everyone.

[Protocol Penguin]

[MENTION=9465]Brad[/MENTION] could not understanding it later on be because they were BTEC students rather than the more able A-level students? Just a thought.

There’s still a possibility that the stuff I’ve looked at might just be poorly worded. Computer techie types aren’t exactly great at explaining things to non-experts from my experience. A lot of the supposedly free “learn coding” websites seem to want you to pay them, although often not explicitly advertised, which makes me suspicious of their motives.

I’m going to admit that I’m barely functional at maths, which may or may not be a factor. I couldn’t do computer science at university due to lacking an A-level in maths, so it seems to be a requirement, but I’ve been reassured (including here) that maths isn’t a deal breaker when learning programming. I’m wondering what level or sort of maths they mean though.

[replicashooter]

Penguin, read back your posts in this thread and you’ll notice the common “it’s not me, it’s them” sentiment being expressed again and again. I’m on the phone otherwise I’d copy your replies and highlight the salient parts in order to clarify but one thing is for sure:

Be it your educational issues, life circumstances, hostile computer nerds, childish programming languages or inept fools who put up overly complicated websites on the topic there is but one constant in all of those situations.

Can you tell what it is yet?

Those who wish to learn, do. Those that don’t point fingers and complain about why others prevent them from doing so when in reality it is their attitude that is holding them back but it’s always easier to blame “the others” than it is to see oneself clearly.

I’d be willing to bet this attitude runs through a lot of elements of your life and it must not be very nice having to live like that.

Now you can wave your arms in the air and tell anyone who’ll listen that I’m speaking harshly as I sneeringly condescend to you via the net or you could grow a pair form once in your life and accept responsibility for what has been as they were all YOUR choices at the end of the day, irrespective of everything else and if seen that way this thread can be the first step that breaks the pattern you’ve played out again and again in your life.

People have bent over backwards to help spoon feed you in this thread and at first I thought you were trolling but now see you’re for real, hence why I said what I said.