The Chronicles of An Aspiring C# Programmer: Intro

If you ask any seasoned programmer what's the best way to begin programming, they'll likely mention hands on learning. What they won't tell you (because you didn't ask the right question) is that self learning is tough. Granted, trial and error will always be involved but what happens when you're still solving a problem 2 hours or even 2 days later? Not only is this not ideal, it's also a stumbling block every beginner struggles with.

Part of the problem exists because very often, programming concepts are explained without retention in mind. For example, if I show you the following code:




Then I explain the gist of said code, it'll likely vanish from your mind like smoke in 10 minutes. This kind of hands on learning also usually fails to hammer home a crucial point: learning to program isn't just about learning a language. It's also about learning to think (critically) in a language. What of the empty parenthesis? What is this Main thing? Can this code be condensed? These are important concepts that I feel many resources miss.

Issues like this are why I've decided to keep a journal of sorts, chronicling my journey toward learning C#. This "journey" will undoubtedly be a long one (since I won't be brushing over code) but I feel this is necessary in order to promote retention. Readers can expect to find brain friendly examples (because we all know how reliable the brain is) as well as solutions to put concepts into perspective. Each topic will take the form of a single weekly post, though I will always answer questions to the best of my knowledge. I won't include every programming concept here because by then I'd by white haired and decrepit. Besides, by that time humanity will have figured out how to build computers that understand human language. But until then, sit back, put on your best learning face and enjoy. You'll soon discover why many regard learning programming as a rewarding experience.