I don't have what it takes to be a programmer. At all. Patience is a virtue right? I don't have any....and mail is such an ugly program that is incomprehensible. Can't drop this class.........
All I can suggest is: 1. read the man page for every command that's introduced in class. Follow the cross-references 2. play with the stuff The only way to learn those commands is to use them. It's just like guitar chords.
Let me emphasize that: you can't possibly make it through this class if all you do is go once through the assignment once a week. You have to figure out what commands you're going to need, read their man pages, try to figure out what options you're going to need, do a practice run or two, and then do the assignment, when you know what you're doing.
Sorry to tell you that, but there just isn't an easy way. Actually, that is the easy way: to understand what you're doing. What you're doing now is the hard way.
Actually, according to one source (http://www.maths.adelaide.edu.au/~cmc/tutorials/perlintro/x175.html), impatience is a virtue for programming. You want the job to get done faster, so you write a program to do it for you.
But it sounds like what you're really struggling with right now is Unix, not programming. I learned enough to learn the rest be watching over the shoulders of friends and crush-objects in high school, but you may not have any amenable geeks available. One of my favorite books on the topic is Life With Unix (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0135366577/). It's pretty dated, and was even when I first read it, but it's a great overview of the history and culture, and I recall a command reference, too, but I don't have it with me to double-check. The Unix Philosophy (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555581234/) is another good one for big picture/why things are the way they are; I haven't read the newer version (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1555582737/).
I don't know what the text for your class is, but this O'Reilly book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1565923901/) looks like it might be helpful.
I had to learn UNIX the scary way. They told me I had to: a.) learn UNIX so I could use the new computer system, so that I could: 1.) write a book using the new system, which only accepted UNIX commands and macros, and it was due in 6 weeks. 2.) learn to administer the new system, because no one in the department knew shit about UNIX. If I did not meet these objectives, my boss informed me he would fire me (he hated me, anyway). This would have swiftly resulted in a consquence like living in my car (one step up from under a bridge). Talk about motivation! One, to keep a reasonable lifestyle, the other to spite my boss (whom I hated as well).
I kept immense notebooks of handy sequences of commands. It helps you program your brain to retain them, writing them down. Not programming, just writing them down. It might help you.
I had to learn from reading the Bell Labs documentation. Which was written by tech geeks writing in stream-of-conciousness mode. I can at least offer you the thought that no class text could ever be that bad. (Yeah, this is my version of "Uphill both ways...")
I've learned to do a lot of things just because I'm a mean, nasty, fighting bitch, and won't give my enemies the satisfaction of seeing me fail. In short, I've done it for spite. You find what works for you. But then, my work personality style tests out as "Jungle Fighter." Your mileage may vary.
We need to get you a motivating factor. You know, something like being stranded on the international space station, and the only way to get back is to learn to program your way out. ;-)
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:18 am (UTC)1. read the man page for every command that's introduced in class. Follow the cross-references
2. play with the stuff The only way to learn those commands is to use them. It's just like guitar chords.
Let me emphasize that: you can't possibly make it through this class if all you do is go once through the assignment once a week. You have to figure out what commands you're going to need, read their man pages, try to figure out what options you're going to need, do a practice run or two, and then do the assignment, when you know what you're doing.
Sorry to tell you that, but there just isn't an easy way. Actually, that is the easy way: to understand what you're doing. What you're doing now is the hard way.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:24 am (UTC)Basic lesson: you gotta use things if you want to learn them. Spelling words, guitar chords, hiragana, Unix commands, you name it.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 01:55 pm (UTC)The key to learning is doing. Over and over.
To quote Ms Frizzle: Take chances! Make mistakes! Get messy!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 06:48 pm (UTC)But it sounds like what you're really struggling with right now is Unix, not programming. I learned enough to learn the rest be watching over the shoulders of friends and crush-objects in high school, but you may not have any amenable geeks available. One of my favorite books on the topic is Life With Unix (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0135366577/). It's pretty dated, and was even when I first read it, but it's a great overview of the history and culture, and I recall a command reference, too, but I don't have it with me to double-check. The Unix Philosophy (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555581234/) is another good one for big picture/why things are the way they are; I haven't read the newer version (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1555582737/).
I don't know what the text for your class is, but this O'Reilly book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1565923901/) looks like it might be helpful.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-30 12:25 am (UTC)a.) learn UNIX so I could use the new computer system, so that I could:
1.) write a book using the new system, which only accepted UNIX commands and macros, and it was due in 6 weeks.
2.) learn to administer the new system, because no one in the department knew shit about UNIX.
If I did not meet these objectives, my boss informed me he would fire me (he hated me, anyway). This would have swiftly resulted in a consquence like living in my car (one step up from under a bridge). Talk about motivation! One, to keep a reasonable lifestyle, the other to spite my boss (whom I hated as well).
I kept immense notebooks of handy sequences of commands. It helps you program your brain to retain them, writing them down. Not programming, just writing them down. It might help you.
I had to learn from reading the Bell Labs documentation. Which was written by tech geeks writing in stream-of-conciousness mode. I can at least offer you the thought that no class text could ever be that bad. (Yeah, this is my version of "Uphill both ways...")
I've learned to do a lot of things just because I'm a mean, nasty, fighting bitch, and won't give my enemies the satisfaction of seeing me fail. In short, I've done it for spite. You find what works for you. But then, my work personality style tests out as "Jungle Fighter." Your mileage may vary.
We need to get you a motivating factor. You know, something like being stranded on the international space station, and the only way to get back is to learn to program your way out. ;-)