I'm been trying for over 6 months to learn a new programming language ( C# ). I've got a basic 24 hour book. I've had to restart the book a couple of times now.
My problem is that I find it so boring and difficult to find the time to learn.
Consequently when I have been good and read for an hour a week, I tend to forget. I end up re-reading.
I was thinking if I had a project where I used the language this might keep my interest, but as I say the book is quite basic and i'll probably need to finish the book and maybe learn more from another source afterwards to give me the knowledge I need.
I just wondered what you guys thought?
I have always found in the past learning programming from books by just reading; is a very painful and slow process. I purchased a number of ASP.NET books maybe 2 years ago with the view to learn ASP.NET but nothing happend.
ReplyDeleteI also found with the books it covers a lot of stuff I most likely would not use.
My advice would be to find something you need to do and start doing it in C# I have always found this approach the best and have even started writing C# code myself for the eBay API stuff I am doing mainly because the sample file was in C# but as I go a long I think to myself right I need to know how to connect to the database and my books have become useful again along with google.
I do agree with you that "learning on the job" is much easier and gets you going more quickly.
ReplyDeleteThis is how I learnt vb.net
But I've always felt that I missed out on the terminology and the techniques behind dotnet, I think in most cases I'm pretty much doing the same things that I would be doing in VB6.
I think I have to find the right mix.
Maybe getting to know the syntax and writing a program is the best way to start, but then I need to learn about the more complex aspects. Thing is I'm most likely to have missed some of the basic terminology which will have been a prerequisite for this information / book :(
What you could do is a learn on the Job and also once you get into it is follow the Microsoft Track and get cetified in dotnet.
ReplyDeleteThe certification path and the learning books are more geared up to teaching you the new terminology and techniques.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certifications.mspx#TOOLS
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/webapps/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcts/default.mspx
I know that you said you was thinking about trying to get back into work and getting certified could help you.
Hmmm good idea :)
ReplyDelete