[NeoTifa]

Awww thanks. Just found another one in mine: forgot an increment. XD

[baavgai]

One of the things you can see in all my responses is that I format code in a way that makes me happy. Even if it's someone elses code, it's getting formatted. This is not just me being an asshole, though doubtless a little is. Rather, in order to spot an error, code needs to be layed out in a way that's easy for me to scan.

You can stare at the same piece of code forever and the bug will hide. Two things than can save your are chatty compilers and consistent syntax. If you stick to the same grammar all the time, those things that don't fit quite right are that much more obvious. Do it long enough and that == vs. = will jump right out at you; most of the time.

tlhIn, on 08 June 2010 - 09:43 AM, said:

This will show my age but... My introduction to computer programming was when my Science teacher bought the first generation TRS-80 computer with cassette tape drive and a book of programs written in BASIC.

A Trash-80? I used Apple ][ ( hope the goofy II comes out ) at school and ultimately got an Atari-800. Those were the days... crap, where's my walker.

[Raynes]

NeoTifa, on 08 June 2010 - 11:10 AM, said:

Don't give up. I just made a stupid mistake like that not even 45 seconds ago. Missing a simple -1 crashed my whole (little) program That's what IDE's are for. You learn from your mistakes. A good programmer makes mistakes, a great programmer finds them. ^__^

IDEs are for fixing your stupid mistakes? I thought that's what your brain was for!

[NeoTifa]

Nonsense. That's for coming up with evil schemes to take over the world, which is what I assume you're programming for

[NickDMax]

I had a really long post here about some advice for approaching programming. I decided to add it to my blog rather than clutter the thread (I have never really learned brevity). If you are interested you can find it here.

[Raynes]

NickDMax, on 08 June 2010 - 05:11 PM, said:

I had a really long post here about some advice for approaching programming. I decided to add it to my blog rather than clutter the thread (I have never really learned brevity). If you are interested you can find it here.

Awesome. I wish more people were like you. People tend to repeat themselves over and over and over and over and ...

It's much better to put such repetitive responses in a single place so that you can just link to it whenever appropriate.

[Cyrusthebeast]

baavgai, on 08 June 2010 - 11:55 AM, said:

One of the things you can see in all my responses is that I format code in a way that makes me happy. Even if it's someone elses code, it's getting formatted. This is not just me being an asshole, though doubtless a little is. Rather, in order to spot an error, code needs to be layed out in a way that's easy for me to scan.

You can stare at the same piece of code forever and the bug will hide. Two things than can save your are chatty compilers and consistent syntax. If you stick to the same grammar all the time, those things that don't fit quite right are that much more obvious. Do it long enough and that == vs. = will jump right out at you; most of the time.

tlhIn, on 08 June 2010 - 09:43 AM, said:

This will show my age but... My introduction to computer programming was when my Science teacher bought the first generation TRS-80 computer with cassette tape drive and a book of programs written in BASIC.

A Trash-80? I used Apple ][ ( hope the goofy II comes out ) at school and ultimately got an Atari-800. Those were the days... crap, where's my walker.

I've been starting to do that :]

NickDMax, on 08 June 2010 - 05:11 PM, said:

I had a really long post here about some advice for approaching programming. I decided to add it to my blog rather than clutter the thread (I have never really learned brevity). If you are interested you can find it here.

Great tips!

#19 was so true. Before that post I showed earlier in this topic, I just kept thinking the same things that weren't the problem and it got me nowhere.

That link should be PMed to every new member that registers here.

[NeoTifa]

I didn't even finish the first paragraph and I noticed a grammar/spelling error. patience != patients. Other than that, nice.

[NickDMax]

@NeoTifa -- I suppose that depends upon the particular patients you have... but thanks for the tip! Stupid computer should know what I mean not what I typed!!!

Quote

That link should be PMed to every new member that registers here.

@Cyrusthebeast -- While I am flattered that you feel that way, I don't think every new programmer wants to be preached at. Besides, I am sure that the list could use some polishing, this is just advice that I came up with on this particular day. That is why I put the 2010 on there... because I find that my "advice"/opinion changes a good deal over the years, in 2012 right before it all ends I might have different advice, and in 2014, after it didn't end, I will almost certainly have different opinions...

Though... I will still probably misspell every other word and use the wrong patience.