Good video tutorial source?

[Kaneki 1,073]

Hey,

 

I want to brush up on some programming languages and was wondering what would be a good, free source for programming tutorial videos, not a general place like YouTube, but like, specific sites or YouTube channels. Also, if you could recommend one that seems easy to understand (not a bunch of tech jargon but things explained), as even though I understand things, I like to learn better that way.

 

I was thinking on things like C#/C++/Python, things that are more generalized like that. More specifically, C++ since Qt is mainly built for that, and I was thinking of making a Qt GUI-based program. Though, if you have a recommendation for an easier GUI system, please let me know alongside some tutorials you like! Thanks!

 

EDIT: Java would be nice too, as I have some use in that too!

Edited December 2, 2016 by Cloggedone

[EclipseNightshade 26]

https://youtube.com/user/makinggameswithben

[Ken 108]

The technical jargon you never have to remember, but you have to remember what that jargon stands for and understand how it works if you really wanna be a programmer and not just a coder. If you wanted to brush up on your programming languages then that implies you already have knowledge on those programming languages and can program/code in them to some extent, so asking someone to recommend something to you is silly. But if you mean to brush up your programming skills then i suggest best way is to brush it up using the language that you already used to learn programming in the first place instead of rushing to learn other programming languages. Learning a new programming language before you have a good understanding in the last one makes for a sure path to becoming just a coder with no real understanding of programing.

 

If you feel like you don't understand a lot about programming and you want to improve then here's a list of good books that you can either find online in PDF form or buy the printed version if you have the money. They not only teach the syntax of a language but they teach programming, and that's the real stuff you want to learn. You might like to learn with videos and by having a voice teaching you but trust me most of the time, because they don't know better or just a lack of planning, those 'teachers' fail to explain certain things in a correct way, they do not explain it at all, they skip information on certain topics and they teach you bad habits that you will have to get rid of further down the road if you even wanna be looked at as a programmer. Most of them also stick to only teaching you a certain language or they have a mix between programming and a certain language but they only explain things that are relevant to the subject they're teaching and often don't offer a complete explanation.

 

You don't know what a compiler, a linker, garbage collection and pointers are? You don't really understand how memory works? You struggle to write in a good and readable style or to organize your code in logical blocks and classes? Then i suggest you do read one of this books.

 

Remember: you don't have to remember the specific terms, definitions and the littlest of details, if you understand the bigger picture of a concept and how to use it then that's enough to have you hired as a software developer.

 

Programming Principles And Practice Using C++ 2nd Edition - In my opinion starting with C++ as your first language is a harder but better way to understand programming because its high-level enough that you don't get stuck in useless, unimportant details, but low-level enough that you get to know all the important stuff that are usually not available in higher lever languages like Python because they are harder to use right but are actually used under the hood by those languages too and gives you, as a programmer, more control and freedom over your code. For example pointers. Plus C++ is compiled and way faster than Python and usually faster than other languages like Java or C# and once you understand C++ learning other languages will feel like a walk in the park because the same concepts apply to all other languages. -- Can give you a PDF of this one if you wish.

 

C++ Primer 5th Edition - If you have a basic understanding of programming this book will not only help you advance but also make you understand the C++ language. -- Can provide you a PDF of this one too, if you wish.

 

Learn Python The Hard Way - Learning programming using Python, best if you are a beginner and want something that you can quickly pick up.

 

Effective Java 2nd Edition - Java is a nice language too, pretty fast and you can get your code on any platform you want. Plus is built around OOP, so that's a plus because usually video games and IT software is built around the Object Oriented programming paradigm.

 

Introduction to Programming in Java: An Interdisciplinary Approach

 

Learning to Program Steven Foote - A book about programming.

Edited December 9, 2016 by Ken

[Moore Tides 9]

Something I use a lot in my off time is this Android app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sololearn.  It is relaxing, and easy to pick up while designing the next step in your application.  They probably have an iOS app too, if you like.  It is only for basic language information, but it will get you started on almost any well known language.  The only problem I have seen is that they do not teach you anything about compilers, only language syntax.  They have their own web-based compilers to test snippets of code, which is sometimes far removed from real-world application.

 

I also use QT a lot, because I am mostly a C programmer and prefer to program on Linux with multi-platform support.  If you are looking into using QML I have recently had a lot of experience with that.  I would be happy to answer questions.  I think in the case of QT and QML the best thing to do is try things out with your own project or ask specific questions.  Asking questions would especially help with QML, because it has a lot of quirky behaviours.

QT reference: http://doc.qt.io/ or http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/index.html 

 

If you happen to need JNI with your Java I would be happy to answer questions about that too.