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A Better Way To Learn Code

8 points by GengYang ↗ HN
Hello,

This is an idea for a better way to learn code. I am currently trying to learn Lisp from scratch on the recommendation of certain sources on the Internet. Personally, I find it very hard to learn just by reading a book and asking questions on the Internet because :

1) You can't see the person who is posting 2) You don't know whether what that person says is accurate or whether he/she is just trolling.

Have an idea to create either a video or an online website which shows the absolute beginner VISUALLY , in explicit detail how to create a website step-by-step using a particular language. I noticed that many people (including myself) want to have an individualized website nowadays but are unable to go about doing it because they get discouraged by the technical jargon, especially if they don't have any prior programming knowledge and have no friends to teach them. If anyone is interested in discussing an idea like this, please email me at gengyangcai@gmail.com. Thanks a lot !

GY

8 comments

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elssar
It seems like what you want is a learning resource that is geared towards having the learner building something real. In that case you should try Udacity's CS253(http://www.udacity.com/overview/Course/cs253/CourseRev/apr20...). It's a 7 week course that'll teach you how to build a blog using Python and Google App Engine and the video lectures have been recorded by Steve Huffman, co-founder of Reddit. If you want to learn LISP, then there is Land of Lisp(http://landoflisp.com/), which teaches you to make games using LISP, and for Python is the free to download Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python(http://inventwithpython.com/)
astrodust
The better way to learn to code is to try teaching. Go through the process of trying to explain what you've already learned to someone else and it will crystallize a lot faster than if you're just mulling it over yourself.

Once you're past the first stage of learning, where you're starting to understand what you don't understand, you can make use of places like StackOverflow either as a reference or as a source of answers now that you know enough to frame a question.

The reason you don't see a lot of visual tutorials is because they're very time consuming to construct and present. Peep Code (https://peepcode.com/) does their best, though, but since this requires a lot of work, they charge for the lessons.

lrohde
I'm also facing this uphill battle. The thing that bothers me is not knowing what I'm missing in a language I'm learning -- in Donald Rumsfeld's famous words, the "unknown unknowns."
gizmo686
I know the experience. When I started learning programming, I needed randomly access 1 of 50 objects. So, using Excel, I created something like: obj1=new foo(1); obj2=new foo(2)..., and a giant if ... else chain.

In general what I find works for this problem is that when you are doing something that seems like it should be easier, it probably is and you should look it up or ask in a forum.

brudgers
I'm skeptical of the idea that watching a video is an efficient way to learn how to write code. This seems like a clear case where "youtubing" is a procrastination technique. Watching a video is not a substitute for solving an exercise problem.
orangethirty
You are not having problem slearning how to "code". You are having problems learning how to design LISP programs. You will only learn by designing them, and posting the code online for others to help you. All there is to it.
malandrew
Read code. Code. Repeat.

It's really that easy. Most people focus too much on reading articles when reading code from talented, experienced individuals helps you more than most articles.

To not read other people's code is to try to learn to write without ever reading other people's work.

I would love to see courses that do the equivalent of "book reports" where students pick large projects and read them end to end, producing qualitative comments and discourse on that code.