Learning Python with Udacity
Ramen Junkie 
Just a note, this is not any sort of advertisement…
So I know some basic programming syntax, generally centered around C and C++ which I learned in college. The C was through several Engineering based classes and the C++ was from a single Computer Science course I took when I had a semester to fill before transferring schools and didn’t want to completely lapse on the studying, schooling lifestyle. I also know how to code HTML but that is barely programming by any stretch.
I have tried various self taught methods to teach myself more C++ and some Java with little success. I have some books to make Android apps but I have yet to get anywhere with them. Then, I believe through the Windows Weekly podcast, I found out about this deal called Udacity. The first course offering is to learn how to code a basic Search Engine using Python. I’ve found it pretty well designed though a handful of the examples were a little too abstract to be meaningful (I’m looking at the one about cost and RAM and memory and compute cycles which I still don’t understand).
Anyway, I’m done three out of the seven modules and I’m rather proud of the fact that I’ve actually managed to stick with it and learn some things. I’ve got a little script now that I could use to extract links from any webpage or even a number of webpages, though right now all I know how to do is display them. Presumably we’ll learn how to compile them into some sort of file or database. My biggest hurdle really is I keep wanting to use C and C++ syntax. Things like adding ; at the end of lines or 1++ or variable++.
It’s not a terrible problem really.
Josh Miller aka “Ramen Junkie”. I write about my various hobbies here. Mostly coding, photography, and music. Sometimes I just write about life in general. I also post sometimes about toy collecting and video games at Lameazoid.com.