Next year I'll be taking AP computer science. My teacher told me that I don't need to have any background knowledge but since I have some time and I want to learn all thing related to computers, I want to study ahead.

The question is, what should I start with? All I know of computers is the what composes a computer (RAM, etc) and nothing more.

fusionsdf

Canada15390 Posts

December 23 2008 01:53 GMT

just look at basic programming

if statements, variable, while loops things like that

blabber

United States4448 Posts

December 23 2008 01:53 GMT

find out what book you will be using and read that. If you're not using a book, at least find out what language you will be learning

mahnini

United States6862 Posts

December 23 2008 01:57 GMT

On December 23 2008 10:42 Wala.Revolution wrote:
Next year I'll be taking AP computer science. My teacher told me that I don't need to have any background knowledge but since I have some time and I want to learn all thing related to computers, I want to study ahead.

The question is, what should I start with? All I know of computers is the what composes a computer (RAM, etc) and nothing more.

computer science is considered one of the harder AP courses. you best be ready.

it's gonna be java

Athos

United States2484 Posts

December 23 2008 01:58 GMT

Take a Java Class.

LuckyFool

United States9015 Posts

December 23 2008 02:21 GMT

Read up on as much programming as you can. Learn concepts and stuff. It'll probably be a pretty tough class but you'll probably like it. I know I did.

pewpew

United States132 Posts

December 23 2008 02:23 GMT

Java has a pretty subtle learning curve from my perspective. Find a "For Dummies" book or something, if that's what your class will consist of. I found it to be pretty easy to get into.

IzzyCraft

United States4487 Posts

December 23 2008 02:50 GMT

C++ is a good languge to start and if you good a good languge to go pro in. Just learn how to do a while loop and if statements and learn how to do them well.

Mastermind

Canada7096 Posts

December 23 2008 02:53 GMT

Either you will find it easy and wont need to put much work into it, or you will find it really tough and no matter how hard you try, you will do poorly. I hope for your sake your brain works the right way for programming.

Practice the basics of variables, conditionals, loops, arrays, and objects. If you get those concepts down, then any introductory Java course will be a breeze.

fusionsdf

Canada15390 Posts

December 23 2008 02:55 GMT

#10

O'reilly is generally really good for programming books

quite expensive though, so if you dont plan on becoming a programmer maybe borrow one from the library or look online or something

head start isnt a book I would personally reccomend, but it contains a lot of the fundamentals and is a pretty easy read. There are lots of people who reccomend it (even some on this forum), so maybe try that one out

its one of the cheaper ones too

Wala.Revolution

7579 Posts

December 23 2008 03:02 GMT

#11

The language will be java.

Unfortunately, I don't know if the the course offered at my school is A or AB (one semester or a full-year college course).

So read upon basic programming, with O'reilly, Head Start or dummies book?

Is this course (well concept of computer programming) similar to math? I'm taking BC calc right now and I'm not having too much trouble.

When you say "subtle learning curve" that means opposite of exponential-like curve right?

Thanks for the help!

EDIT I emailed my teacher for the text book but none of my teachers (with other subjects are replying during the winter break.

caelym

United States6421 Posts

December 23 2008 03:17 GMT

#12

computer programming is a lot about solving problems, so you'll have to be good at formulating systematic approaches to reach a "solution". u dont need any math really, beside some basic logarithm knowledge. but if you're good at proving things, you should do well in the course. It was the best class I took in high school, look forward to it.

mahnini

United States6862 Posts

December 23 2008 03:32 GMT

#13

have to agree it can be very fun but also very frustrating / time consuming. the learning curve is pretty steep at first, you're practically learning a new language but after the first few weeks or so it should be less confusing especially if you are doing some preparatory reading.

fusionsdf

Canada15390 Posts

December 23 2008 03:47 GMT

#14

On December 23 2008 12:17 caelym wrote:
computer programming is a lot about solving problems, so you'll have to be good at formulating systematic approaches to reach a "solution". u dont need any math really, beside some basic logarithm knowledge. but if you're good at proving things, you should do well in the course. It was the best class I took in high school, look forward to it.

yeah its mostly logic and problem solving

GeneralStan

United States4789 Posts

December 23 2008 04:14 GMT

#15

My advice is to download Java and a compiler/code editor (to wit, I recommend Eclipse http://www.eclipse.org/). Then program something simple. Hello World is always a good place to start, or a program that will convert Farenheit to Celsius. If you can figure out how to make those two programs, you'll be in good shape (I promise)

micronesia

United States24495 Posts

December 23 2008 04:16 GMT

#16

On December 23 2008 12:02 Wala.Revolution wrote:
The language will be java.

Unfortunately, I don't know if the the course offered at my school is A or AB (one semester or a full-year college course).

The easy test is really easy and won't usually net you college credit. The harder one was pretty hard when I took it... but that was the last year of C++ so it could be rather different now.

0xDEADBEEF

Germany1235 Posts

December 23 2008 06:36 GMT

#17

I agree with the Java posts, just one thing to mention: to develop Java apps, you need the Java compiler and stuff, which is part of the JDK (Java Development Kit), not the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) which is commonly installed by people. The JDK includes the JRE of course.

Eclipse is a great IDE (Integrated Development Environment). In case you didn't know, nobody programs in Notepad or similar simple editors, people either use programmer editors with lots of features (one of the main benefits being syntax highlighting) or an IDE which integrates tools like compiler, debugger etc. as well.

Then look for a tutorial on how to create the standard "Hello World" program in Eclipse, to get to know the absolute basics.

After that, read a good Java book (DON'T get a "for dummies" or "in 21 days" type book), and write a small program. I think a nice first exercise could be to write a program which produces this *exact* output:
http://99-bottles-of-beer.net/lyrics.html
Normally you would have to shorten the code as much as you can (I have done it in Python with 243 characters) but that's not necessary as a first exercise.

Your first program should ignore object orientation, your second one should use it, and your third one should include a GUI.

pinenamu

United States770 Posts

December 23 2008 09:05 GMT

#18

if statements, while loops, for loops seemed like the most important stuff for me in programming. haha programming was hell for me, good luck >_<;

Divinek

Canada4045 Posts

December 23 2008 09:31 GMT

#19

I found java to be really easy. Once you learn what the words mean everything is pretty common sense. You just have to figure out how to solve problems outside of java and then apply it to java.

If you're learning java then yes you'll have to learn all the basic stuff at first, but you really want to be able to wrap your head around classes and objects since the whole crux of java is that it is object oriented and alot of people apparently have trouble with this.