Linux programming

[Ken]

On Monday 23 August 2010 16:03:48 GaryT wrote:
> Ken wrote:
> > On Monday 23 August 2010 06:03:29 GaryT wrote:
> >> Is there a discussion list for Linux programmers?
> >
<[snip]>
>
> Huge thanks, Ken.

You're welcome.

> I think the question should have begun with "Can anyone recommend...."
> because it's the recommendation I was after.

I like the question you asked rather than the one you intended because the 
former is much easier than the latter, especially without context of 
interests, experience, etc. Even so, the latter question does not lack an 
answering strategy.

If one asks oneself what do I know? (about computers, or more specifically, 
programming), then what do I want to know? and/or what do I need to know? 
then one can get some sense of exploratory direction from where one is 
located at the moment.

For example, if one is sitting facing screen and keyboard, and asks oneself 
How does all this work? one is asking for more knowledge in depth than the 
surface of the screen. Well, explore a little bit. Moving one's mouse over 
the menu bar items of the application that is new open (the most-often-used 
application, presumably) reveals menu lists of various commands. What do each 
of them do? Explore some more. Learn them all. There's an item labeled Help. 
Explore there, read it all, learn it all.

After that level of exploring, reading, and learning, continue to use the most 
powerful programming language of all, one's mother tongue, to program the 
most powerful computer of all, the human brain, about the characteristics and 
operation of the brainless circuitry called an electronic computer.

What was that application at which one was looking? A word processor? A text 
editor? And it is the primary application one uses? OK, good. Let's explore 
it in some more depth after all its menus have been learned. Does it have a 
macro language? OK, learn it. Then does it have an embedded programming 
language? OK, learn it. Does this text editor interface with, or link with 
any other applications of interest -- a programming language compiler, for 
instance?

Oooohh! Has one just learned the intricacies of the Vim editor and how it is 
able to hook together with a C program file? Or with a Perl script? Or a bash 
shell command line? Has one learned how to use Vim to read documentation and 
help and manual pages and web sites for those languages, and any other Linux 
utility imaginable? Has one in fact fallen down the programming rabbit hole, 
through a series of virtual consoles, into the development wonderland below?  

> Makes you feel stupid, doesn't it, when the brain takes a holiday.
> I spent years editing computer articles for a magazine and just a few
> days ago, in this forum I wrote "log onto" when it should have been
> logon to...

    Do not go gentle into that good night,
    Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
        Dylan Thomas, Collected poems (1952)
        Welsh poet (1914 - 1953)

> Might soon be time to hang up the boots, I think.

I wouldn't disagree with that. The boots were big, heavy, clunky, and those 
hob-nails sounded funny on the sidewalk and tore up the carpets, too.

Now, these new plushly-lined sheepskin slippers are just the thing for 
comfortable programming and development in the home office.

> Thanks again, Ken.

'S All-right!


Ken