Introduction Programming

Introduction Programming - A Basic Introduction to Computer Programming Topics

Computer programming is one of the fields under computer science. While computer science refers to the study of computer applications, computer programming deals with the basics of a computer program – how it works, how it is designed, how it is fixed and why. If you're planning to learn programming soon, here is an introduction to computer programming topics you're likely to encounter:

The basics of computer programming
Like most disciplines, you will begin by learning the fundamentals of computer programming. Depending on your instructor or curriculum, you will probably be introduced to the history of programming and its languages and find out about what has occurred over the years through a timeline.

You will also be introduced to the basic concepts and theories of programming and how they have evolved over the years. You'll be able to see how fast programming has progressed over the centuries and learn the significant developments in this field. You will also encounter topics such as computer hardware, software, systems and language. You will have to learn these basics in order to understand how your field of specialization can contribute. This may seem too troublesome but really, you need to have a good background in the progress of programming to help give you a good grasp of its fundamentals.

Computer software
The result of all your hard work is actually the computer software, so expect this topic to be included in your introductory course. Some of the topics you'll find under this subject include application software, programming software and system software. During classes dealing with these subjects, you'll learn how to use programming tools, database management systems, assemblers, debuggers, text and source code editors, and the like.

Programming
Finally, you will be introduced to the topic you've been raring to learn – programming. Here you'll learn different types programming processes, styles and methods. You will learn the different types of programming including concurrent, functional, declarative (event-driven), imperative, object-oriented and Parsing.

Probably the next topics you'll learn are the basic components of every computer program, such as the source code and the API or application programming interface. You'll also learn how instruction is carried out to command a computer to execute a particular set of directions.

You'll also learn programming languages, which will introduce you to the kind of language you have chosen to specialize in. Your instructor might also present your class with a simple comparison of the different types of languages in use today and you'll also probably learn the types of languages that have lost favor or are already obsolete. You'll learn semantics, dialects and theories.

This is also where you'll begin learning how to program or write codes. Although your learning at this point will consist of lectures, a good part of your class will be spent working hands-on so you can begin practicing what the instructor has taught you. This is how your progress as a computer programmer will be evaluated.

The process of programming
One of the earliest topics you will encounter when learning computer programming is the process with which codes and computer languages are designed and produced. The process of programming includes several steps, such as:

1. Definition of the problem.
2. Design or plan of the solution.
3. Design of the code to be used for the program.
4. Testing and evaluation of the program.
5. Documentation.

Debugging, testing and maintenance
Probably the final list of topics you'll learn as your introduction to computer programming is application. In these topics, you'll learn how to test the program you have written, spot and locate any errors and correct them.
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The Different Sides of Computer Game Programming

Many people will play computer games without any knowledge of how much work went into the game. True, a lot of thought and creativity had to be employed in order to make the game work, but the game also required a good deal of computer programming and knowledge of different computer programming languages in order to make the game not only feel real, but look attractive as well. There are many sides of computer game programming, so if you are interested in computer game programming and may want to take up courses in the future, take a look at this list.

The game physics programmer is someone who directs how a game uses physics in order to look correct and feel correct. In most cases, a computer game will not completely simulate the physics of a real world, but some important aspects of physics may have to come into play for some games. For instance, wind resistance might be important to dogfights, while the fluid but retarded movements of some characters in water might be needed for a role-playing game.

The artificial intelligence programmer is the one in charge of developing the logical sequence of the game itself. For instance, when a game involves finding a path, employing strategies, or giving rise to enemy tactics, an artificial intelligence programmer may be called in to make a game smart – in other words, to make the game think on its own. In general, the computer language used for artificial intelligence programming is simpler than other languages, and it can be shared with the game’s players.

The graphics programmer uses a series of codes and algorithms in order to provide graphics in the world of the game. In the modern age, a graphics programmer has to work in a three-dimensional environment, and should therefore have knowledge of calculus, vector math, and other algebra concepts that may be needed for specializing in rendering such images. There are only very few graphics programmers, and they may usually demand high wages for their work.

A sound programmer will provide sounds in terms of characters’ dialogues, music, and even sounds that can make the game seem more real, such as the sound of crunching leaves or grass as characters walk on them. The gameplay programmer will add to the experience of the game, and will do so by focusing on the game’s feel and strategy.

Computer game programming will also require a team of scripters, who are also usually the designers of the game. These scripters write the code of the game itself, usually with a basic computer language. Also needed are user interface programmers, or the UI: the UI programmers will create a library of different aspects that can be used across a wide variety of worlds within the game, or a wide variety of games within a manufacturer. The UI programming language involves a good deal of math, with the aim of producing special effects.

Also important is an input programmer, who writes codes for how different kinds of hardware, such as the keyboard, joystick, or mouse, will affect the game. The network programmer will find ways for the game to work on a network, where people can play against each other. A porting programmer ensures that the game can work on different platforms and operating systems.

Overseeing all these tasks is the lead game programmer. These are only a few aspects of computer game programming. As the field widens, more and more programmers of different kinds will have to be called in and identified as important. …Read more >>

What You Should Know About a Computer Programming Career

Computer programming is one of the most important and exciting careers today. It is also a field that offers plenty of job opportunities for graduates. It's one of the best fields of endeavor for people who love technology and are willing to try out new things. If you're considering pursuing a computer programming career, here are some things that you should know:

What is computer programming?
Computer programming is basically the process of writing codes to create a computer program. A programming language is used to write this code, also known as the source code. Computer programming is actually an umbrella term that encompasses all types of programming involving the use of computers. The design and method utilized to write a source code will depend on the type of computer language used for the job. Some of the most common computer languages include BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN, C++, Java, Visual Basic, Python and PHP.

The job of computer programming also includes testing the source code, debugging it to check for flaws and weaknesses and maintaining it to ensure optimum performance.

Creating the code
The soul of computer programming is the creation of the source code, which can either be brand new or something created to modify or improve upon an already existing code. The object of the source code is to build a program that will perform a particular series of tasks based on a specific set of commands. This is called customization.

The end result of writing the source code is a computer program. In software engineering, computer programming is an important initial phase.

What does a computer programmer do?
The main job of a computer programmer is to write the codes that serve as the foundation of software programs. He is also tasked to test, troubleshoot, debug and maintain the program to ensure its quality and reliability.

Generally, the tasks that a computer programmer must perform are assigned by another person, usually the system analyst. The computer programmer's job is then to write the program, test it, modify it if necessary and ensure that it passes compatibility and quality standards. If errors are found, it is the computer programmer's job to ensure that they are corrected.

The job of a computer programmer usually requires hours upon hours spent in front of a computer to design and write a computer program. Depending on the type of program being written, its purpose and the complexity of the commands required in order for a computer to execute the series of steps involved, writing a program can take several months to several years to complete.

The length of time it often takes for a program to be completed often necessitates having a single program broken down into a smaller series of steps. These steps will then be assigned as tasks to a group of programmers who will work on them independently. The final step is to put the end results and produce one coherent and useful computer program.

Computer programming is a very dynamic field and involves plenty of imagination and discipline. Although there are set standards for the tasks involved, the profession itself does not require certification tests from government agencies. There are also no state and federal licenses to obtain.

How much does a computer programming job pay?
That will depend on the experience and level of expertise of the programmer. Most entry level programmers earn a minimum of about $33,000 a year while mid-level programmers earn approximately $50,000 a year. For senior level programmers and those who have several years of experience behind them, their typical take-home pay averages at about $65,000 a year. Consultants, some managers and those who have advanced well in their computer programming career are often paid more.
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Are Functions Core Concepts in Computer Programming?

Computer programming is a phrase that is bandied about quite heavily, but only few people actually understand its implications. The process of computer programming itself is difficult to understand for people who are not in the computer science field. Computer programming makes use of a code or a language: this language can be placed into several lines of code that can be translated to mean different things once they are processed as a program.

For instance, the software that you use to calculate your taxes, or the software that you employ to make your simple web page are all products of skilful computer programming. Behind these software programs are scripts and codes, and these scripts and codes can mean different things.

For many different programming languages, a function can be important and can therefore be a key concept to learn when someone is interested in software and computer programming. A function can also be termed as a subroutine, procedure, or sub-query. How is a function important? For instance, if a company or institution has a library of many different programs, these programs can therefore consist of millions upon millions of lines of a source code. In the interests of time and space, you would like to keep from duplicating a certain source code in many different places.

Why is duplication so undesirable? If a source code is duplicated in many different places, it is being needlessly copied, and it can spell Hell for the programmer and troubleshooter when things go wrong down the line. If the source code is actually erroneous, the programmer or troubleshooter will have to correct the code in all the different places that it appears. If the source code has to be updated or improved in order to make the program either run faster or perform more operations, then the source code has to be modified, improved, and updated in all the places that it appears. And if the source code has to be removed and replaced with a new source code, then it has to be erased and replaced with the new code in every single place that it appears.

This is indeed time-consuming, and it can lead to more errors because of all the human intervention that has to be done. On the other hand, if there are functions that are built to handle all the different programs, then only one or a few changes need to be made should there be errors, or should the source code have to be updated, modified, improved, or changed. You can think of the function as an umbrella: it covers all of many different programs beneath it, so that you do not have to cover each program individually.

Having a single source code serving as the function is also advantageous when you have to introduce a new program that still makes use of that same source code. Because the source code is already available as an overall function or sub-program, you do not need to add the source code to the new program. You only need to find a way for the new program to interact with the source code itself.

These are only a few facts that you need to know about functions in computer programming. For more information, read up on the latest computer programs, how different programs can interact with each other using some umbrella or overall scripts, and how different programs can be improved when using functions.
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Computer Programming Fundamentals You Should Know

Quick! Can you tell me how to prepare a bowl of cereals with milk? Too simple, right? You can probably give me a series of no-brainer instructions that I can perform in less than a minute. Now try telling a computer to do just that. What began as a simple task has now become complicated. It's not just a matter of dumping a cup of cereals in a bowl and pouring milk in. With computers, it's so much more than that. Sounds exciting? It should be. Because that's what you'll expect once you begin learning computer programming fundamentals.

The basics

Computer programming is a whole new world of possibilities. Believe it or not, programming actually began in the 1200s, when simple machines were designed to execute simple mechanical tasks. It has grown both as an art and as a science since then, providing us with the technologies that have made many aspects of our lives easier and faster.

Once you start learning computer programming, some of the basic stuff you'll encounter include:

- The basic understanding of the discipline

You'll need a good background in the field in order for you to understand how it really works. With a solid foundation built on knowing the basics of computer programming, it will be easier to comprehend its details, including procedures, steps and other instructions.

- Understanding the types of programming

Essentially, there are two basic types of programming, each of which has its own uses and set of advantages and limitations. Procedural programming, while older, is quite useful particularly because it is a much simpler way to tell a computer what to do. It is also the heart and soul of many computer languages. Basically, it's an input-output operation, where a user or programmer inputs a set of instructions and a computer reacts to it by executing those instructions. Learning procedural programming helps new programmers understand elements such as sequence, selection and iteration.

The other type of programming is object-oriented, which is relatively newer. This type of programming treats instructions as a set of objects, something that is more convenient in many of the programs that are in use today. With object-oriented programming, you'll learn an object's properties, event handlers and methods.

You'll learn both types of programming as part of a fundamental or basic course. These will help you understand how to design codes that are easy for a computer to understand and effective enough to execute. Using the cereal and milk analogy, for example, you will be able to write a code that will tell a computer how to pour the right amount of cereal into a bowl and how much milk to use, in that order. And if you're truly good, you can even tell the computer what specific type of cereal and milk to use.

- Understanding the nature of the code

Another important basic knowledge you must learn in programming is understanding codes. While their functions are generally the same – that is, to power a computer program – codes differ in design and use depending on the language. Codes are at the heart of a computer program and will be one of the basics you will learn in programming.

- Learning problem-solving

Much of your time as a first-time computer programmer will be spent poring over problems – how to create a source code for a desired end result, how to fix a bug, how to solve a glitch, how to put things together or in sequence so they work. You'll learn how to look at a problem, break it down to its solvable components and come up with ways to solve it.

- Thinking logically.

If you're not a fan of mathematics and logic, you'll be dismayed to know that many of the computer programming fundamentals you'll be learning will require you to think in numbers, figures and sequences. However, these basics are easy to learn, provided you have the patience to follow the right steps. Once you've trained your mind to think like this, you're well on your way to a great career as a computer programmer. …Read more >>

The Need For Computer Programming Language Evolution

The digital world constantly changes. New technologies are introduced and new developments in the industry are being made known to the public. There will always be changes in technology. And technology will constantly improve to help create a better world.

And one of the primary movers of technology and the digital world is a computer programming language. This is the language spoken and understood by the computer. The computer language is machine language. Basically, what the computer can understand and process are just a bunch of one's and zero's. It is really upon the expertise of the programmer to create special software that could be understood by the computer and the human user.

Computer programming software follows a certain language that computers follow. Examples of these languages are the Assembly language, C++, FoxPro, Visual Basic, Visual FoxPro and several others. These types of software can mediate between the computer and the programmer. All the programmer has to do is to input the commands he would like the computer to do. He'll write the commands in the syntax that the computer programming language understands. The commands are then processed and converted into the machine language the computer processor understands. This is how the many applications and programs downloadable from the internet are created.

Different computer programming languages can provide different levels of functionality. Some software can give crisp graphical images. These programming languages are usually used in making games. Games are really what make computers half popular. And this is all because of the computer programming language created for making games that people from all over the world love. Games are complex individual programs that are interlinked together by the main game application.

Aside from computer games, programming languages allows for the development of functional software such as word processing programs, database programs, web-based applications, and several others. The software is made possible with the creation of the programming languages that are most fitting to the design and interface of the program being created. There are many times that a single application can be created multiple language platforms.

But then again, all of these programs won't be possible without the creation of an operating system. The operating system is the software by which a computer system runs. Popular examples of such software are the Windows platform, Linux, Unix, and Mac OS. There are a lot of old operating systems being used before and the most popular of which is DOS. The operating system serves as a good median for the computer and the processor's language. Its main job is to translate every single program created for the operating system and allow the machine to process them accordingly, so that people can run and use the program.

The evolution of computer programming languages is required in this ever-changing world. It is mandatory that they have to keep up with the demands of the current times. Before, computers are used against a black, monochrome background. Right now, computers uses images, colors, and interactive icons. The contrast is very striking that you can just imagine what would happened if there were no evolution that happened.

The introduction of new computer programming languages should be a welcome addition to the growing group of computer languages. The new features and abilities these can be used widely in different applications are in currently in demand. …Read more >>

What You Need to Know About a Computer Programming Course

Computer programming may seem like a highly complicated discipline but at its roots, every program actually begins as a simple set of instructions. Computer programming is essentially the design of a simple program in order to create a more complicated program. It is currently one of the most sought-after courses and is also a career that presents plenty of opportunities in a very exciting field. If you're curious about what taking a computer programming course will be like, here are some important information you can use.

The course

Computer programming is one of the disciplines under computer science. It requires study and practical application of theories and concepts. Simply put, computer programming is the process of writing and creating a group of instructions that a computer can read and execute.

Computer programming is not a single, one-size-fits-all discipline. For one, the task of programming (or coding) involves several computer languages. These languages have different uses and as such, will often require a different set of instructions. JavaScript, for example, may be a computer language but it is not the same as HTML or COBOL or Visual Basic. There are also certain sub-disciplines in computer programming that lead to a specific field of specialization. Students must determine which field of computer programming they want to focus on. If they want to work for companies that create video games, for example, they will have to choose courses that teach graphics and animation, among others.

In the course of study in computer programming, a programmer must be able to learn multiple concepts and theories on top of the technical stuff, such as computer language conventions, elements and important operators used to create a source code that will later produce a computer program.

Computer programming is an essential phase in the development of software and is an integral part of software engineering.

How learning is obtained

There are two major ways computer programming can be learned – through classroom type instruction or online, as part of a distance learning program. Classroom type instruction is still the most common way of attending classes for students but online classes are fast becoming the method of choice.

What to expect from the course

A computer programming course is usually composed of lectures and hands-on assignments. The instructor uses lectures to teach theories and concepts in programming and to provide students with an introduction to the discipline. Generally, students will be listening to lectures while using computers, a way for instructors to allow participants to immediately apply what they have learned.

Other than access to a computer, students may also be required to obtain textbooks to be used as references during coursework. Some lessons, such as those used in online classes, may also be downloaded from a website.

Who should take the course

Computer programming is not for everyone. Just because you love computers and have sufficient curiosity about how they work doesn’t always make you the ideal candidate for this course. Computer programming requires a lot of patience, attention to detail, creativity, logic and common sense. It also requires careful study and understanding of certain subjects such as mathematical and engineering concepts.

What to expect upon completion of the course

Once a course has been completed, a computer programmer is ready to be hired for entry-level jobs in companies that design software. If the programmer chooses a higher level of study, he can also increase the chances of being hired for higher pay, particularly if he chooses a field of specialization. A computer programming course can provide a graduate access to different fields as well, including banking, finance, research & development and database administration. …Read more >>

BASIC: A Computer Programming Language

Computer programming has its own language, and that’s just the beginning of the software adventure. There are many different languages in computer programming, and all of them have their own purposes. In order to understand the importance of computer programming languages, knowing them, and tweaking them, one has to understand the importance of computer programming. Computer programming produces software packages, among other things, to meet our needs. We may need software for accounting, making photos bigger or smaller, or editing our home videos. Behind all these software packages are the computer programmers who use their individual languages in order to create the software.

One such computer programming language is the Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, or BASIC. BASIC is actually composed of many different kinds of programming languages that are actually higher level than most other languages. This BASIC family of computer programming languages was first designed in the 1960’s, and was originally made for non-science people to gain better access to computers. During that time, using a computer required that a person write customized software, a task that only mathematicians and scientists were equipped to do. The BASIC language was therefore a bridge for people of other professions to take advantage of the power of computers.

When the 1970’s came, the BASIC language, whether in its original form or a variant of it, spread onto microcomputers; and by the 1980’s, even home computers could be run in BASIC. Today, BASIC remains popular, as it serves as the basis for many of the more modern programming languages that have been developed in the wake of advanced operating systems and the Internet.

When it was originally conceived, BASIC was meant for beginners: it was a language that people could use easily, whether or not they were educated in mathematics and the sciences. The language also had to be a general purpose one, in that it had to serve many different needs, and not only those that mathematicians and scientists required. The root language of BASIC also had to allow for advanced features to be plugged on as experts grew more and more adept in it, and as the language found further use in many other fields. BASIC was also meant to be interactive, and was designed to show error messages that were clear and friendly; that is, these error messages had to completely explain what the problem was, which would hopefully allow the user to fix it faster and easier.

When it was first released, moreover, BASIC was free of charge, which allowed the language to spread much faster. Once the language spread much faster, it was also easy to modify it and correct errors. BASIC was also distributed to a few high schools in order to promote it faster. Thanks to this widespread use of the language, BASIC was soon implemented on several microcomputers, and by several software manufacturers.

Despite its success, BASIC has had its dissenters. For instance, some programmers find that its scripts do not show proper programming practices, and the language itself is too slow, or sometimes even too simple. Despite all these, however, BASIC has continued to thrive, succeed, and evolve, and has thus become a good tool to introduce beginner programmers to the concept of coding and computer programming.

These are only a few facts about the BASIC language. For more information on BASIC, read and do your own research through several key pages online, or using computer programming books. …Read more >>