Newbie - Setting up as a programmer - Any tips ??

ChickenZombie

Hi,

I've just started Computer Systems in UL as a first year and would greatly appreciate any advice or tips
re: positioning / aligning / setting myself up as a future programmer...

Uni will look after my programming training, but I wants more

e.g. Someone told me about Microsofts http://www.dreamspark.com which offers free software to students and MS apps tutorials - nice !!!
e.g. Someone else told me about http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/ which are vfab online Java tutorials provided by Oracle... nice !!!

What about Andriod apps development ???
What about Cisco / MS / Google exams ???
Any good YouTube channels out there ???
Any good pdfs e.g. on Systems Admin ???
What software should I get ???
e.g. Netbeans / Eclipse / Java JDK...
Any tips on networking within the industry ???
e.g. Joining groups in LinkedIn etc...

Some of you guys know much much more about this than a wet behind the ears newbie such as I.

Plus this thread could potentially be of great value to many similar others
trying to set themselves up in the industry...

Can we get a resource thread going here ??? I'm aware of the
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054971696 resources thread
but it's a more "breaking into the industry" theme I have in mind here...

Thanks...

PrzemoF

Get involved in an open source project, learn and submit patches. You'll get unbiased feedback about your code.
Accepted patches are the best programmer CV you can get when you have to prove your skills to a potential employer.

Saint_Mel

While your enthusiam is admirable, and I dont want to p!ss on your parade .... I'm assuming its a 4 year course with work placement and you're a just a month or 2 into 1st year.
If I was in that position I would probably just get to grips with what the actual course has to offer before trying to branch off here there and everywhere.

Mentioning MS exams and the like before you have even sat 1st year Christmas exams is a bit too eager beaver for me


Now thats purly just imho

ChickenZombie

Thanks for your sensible concern and advice Saint Mel... I omitted that I'm a 40+yr old mature student with over 2 decades of arsing about in an unstructured manner with amateur coding - thus this first semester in uni is fairly basic. Also, I'm paying handsomely through the nose for this degree and have zero commitments other than my full-time studies.

There is much wise truth in what you say, and I am aware of the dangers of wandering off-course, however, I am really looking for tips about positioning / aligning myself for entry into the industry above my peer student colleagues.

So, I'm going to sign up for an Android developers account, not to spend days and days coding Android apps (I'd love to, but as you say, uni comes first), but rather just for a taster, and more importantly, to show prospective employers that I have interest, direction and commitment.

Also, I'd like this thread to become a repository of tips and advice for others in similar situations to me and your advice is highly relevant and important - IF YOU'RE DOING A COURSE GIVE IT YOUR FULL - DON'T WANDER !!!

PrzemoF - Thanks I'm in the process of joining the Ubuntu community a.t.m. - I can only google and seek advice on doing this at the moment until I find better advice at uni or here, so thanks for your open source tips... I'm 100% into open source I think I'll start my Ubuntu experience by submitting bugs / comments / etc and slowly building a profile - maybe others who aren't so committed to uni courses will avail of your advice re: submitting code.

I should also add that I'm current PRO fro the Computer Society in UL and that I am also researching this topic to enhance the services CompSoc can offer student members (and anyone else) - many want advice on this topic. I'm also doing this for myself though, in case you think it's a kinda shilling thing Mods - if there's an issue with this please pm me

Thanks both of you for your contributions Keep 'em coming...

COYW

ChickenZombie wrote: »

I should also add that I'm current PRO fro the Computer Society in UL and that I am also researching this topic to enhance the services CompSoc can offer student members (and anyone else) - many want advice on this topic.

Getting involved in the likes of a Comp. soc in uni is a nice little addition to your C.V alright. I would echo PrzemoF's advice on the open source project work and I would also try and pick up a placement in industry for the end of the current academic year, if possible. Getting yourself known around the department is a good idea, as any work placements that come about could come your way.

Also, as you are set on moving into the programming world, I would recommend that you keep up to speed on the latest trends design pattern wise. Reading blogs from the likes of Martin Fowler will keep you in the loop on that front.

Endlessly Manipulable

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/194812/list-of-freely-available-programming-books

This is useful...

RealistSpy

Start making your own programs
Outside college work is very important

areyawell

What about Andriod apps development ??? Lot of jobs in the area and can download Android SDK and Eclipse to start programming. Tutorials and books available
What about Cisco / MS / Google exams ??? Cisco is for networking and many ones in security. Good courses and needed for any networking jobs.
Any good YouTube channels out there ??? google or youtube what your looking to find, always examples
Any good pdfs e.g. on Systems Admin ??? Forensicfocus.com is a good site for computer forensics stuff and all the latest security. Plenty of books out there but cant disclose on boards how to get them.
What software should I get ??? All depends on what you plan on doing, like PHP,C++,C,Python,Java are all free and plenty of software outthere, some other ones like dreamweaver and flash are pretty expensive
e.g. Netbeans / Eclipse / Java JDK... Eclipse for Java and all the ones you mentioned there are available for free
Any tips on networking within the industry ??? Yep get a ccna cert or some of the multiple Linux ones which I cant rememer ofs, or cisco network security professional cert, never can have too many of them
e.g. Joining groups in LinkedIn etc... Put your C.Vs in round March and see if any company is willing to take you on a day a week

ChickenZombie

Thanks COYW super - Any more guru's guys ???

For the benefit of others...

http://torvalds-family.blogspot.ie/ == Linus Torvald's (Linux) personal blog.
http://nighthacks.com/roller/jag/ == James Gosling's (Java) blog.

Yes, getting involved with CompSoc is invaluable - I now know many of the committed computer students and the other lecturers / post-grads / masters people can see my involvement...

Plus we just ran a conference this weekend - http://www.skycon.skynet.ie/2012/ and none other than Mark Shuttleworth founder of Ubuntu flew in on his private jet to speak and also Randall Monroe Nasa Roboticist and webcomic author http://xkcd.com/1110/ plus heaps more - and I'm PRO for CompSoc (though the conference was organised last year)- that's going on my CV And I'll get Server Admin training to help run the CompSoc servers, plus there are loads of alumni CompSoc associated members (network, network,network...)

SALIENT POINT #2 - JOIN COMPSOC

Endlessly Manipulable - wow... what a seriously chunky and valuable link - that'll take me about a year to get through :rolleyes: !!!

Again I say, I'd like to build a respository of links / tips / advice for others seeking to break into the industry, so thanks for the contribs & keep 'em coming ...

ChickenZombie

Forgot to add, I'm enjoying http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-00sc-introduction-to-computer-science-and-programming-spring-2011/ which is a full online Computer Science course from MIT

And there's a fab Harvard iTunesU Comp Sci set of lectures - google David Malan CS050...

Mr. Skidoodles

I've learnt a lot from a YouTube channel called thenewboston
The guy has tutorials on everything, Java, Android, MySQl, PHP, C++ ...

There's also the Java API, the Android APIs. There are some good Android tutorials on that Android developer website.

ChickenZombie

Thanks Mr Siidoodles,

Yep, that's the Java libarary in full - nice one Android is something I'm interested in getting into too, in a small way to start - just to beef up the CV and as RealistSpy suggested, to start building an out of college code portfolio...

As for securing a summer position, it's something big oin my agenda - I won't have much in terms of programming skills to offer having just done 9 months in uni, so all the advice received so far re: aligning myself is much appreciated...

Also, as I said earlier, it is my plan to use the tips I gather here as the basis for a UL Computer Society event "breaking into the industry" - so, your tips will grow legs

Thanks

lemon_remon

Looks like you're more into systems but my advice as a new developer: don't forget that programming languages and technologies come and go but a solid grounding in data structures and algorithms will always be of benefit (unless we perfect quantum computing or something).

Logical_Bear

and dont divide any number by zero

Media999

ChickenZombie wrote: »

Forgot to add, I'm enjoying http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-00sc-introduction-to-computer-science-and-programming-spring-2011/ which is a full online Computer Science course from MIT

And there's a fab Harvard iTunesU Comp Sci set of lectures - google David Malan CS050...

Looks like some of that CS050 Enthusiasm has rubbed off on you. :pac:

Davids a genius.

tadcan

For java their is also Caveofprogramming.

c_man

Two things that I wish I'd bothered learning/implementing during my college years, 1 - Learn to use a revision and code versioning system (svn or whatever). 2 - Learn a few common design/patterns when you've gotten to grips with OO.

ChickenZombie

Thanks everyone A treasure house...