Absolute Beginner's Guide to Programming, Second Edition will help the reader understand what programming really is. The reader not only gets an overview of the job of programming, but also learns which specific skills are needed for certain jobs.

The reader will understand

• How a computer interprets a program's instructions and gain insight into what goes on "under the hood" when a computer runs a program.

• How programming can and does relate to the Internet and learn about the skills required for adding security to programs.

• Compiled versus other kinds of programs such as interpreted languages like JavaScript and HTML, which are more formatting and hyperlink languages.

• Job potential in the programming market.

Absolute Beginner's Guide to Programming, Second Edition offers "hands-on" programming for the "absolute beginner." There are several texts for specific languages, and two offerings (IDG and Sams) that attempt to take an overview-to-programming attitude, but this is the only one that takes today's programming environments and explains why each is important and for whom they are important.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

absolute beginner! - 2003-02-18
Reviewer Rating:
I bought this book because of the glorious praise it received on this website, as well as on others. I am definitely an ABSOLUTE beginner, and found the first four chapters extremely easy to read and informative. I was very much looking forward to Chapter 5 and beginning to program. The book DOES NOT provide a CDROM with the necessary programs, and if you are an absolute beginner like me, you probably have no idea where you can get these programs (except to purchase them all). I'm still bewildered. If the programs were available I would give a much higher star rating.

Wonderful "starter guide" to Programming - 2001-08-16
Reviewer Rating:
This book takes the subject of programming from a beginner's point of view and instructs its readers quite well. Starting with a basic understanding of what a computer is, what it can do with the proper software, and a brief history, it then goes on to describe a program's "anatomy." There's also descriptions of the early programming languages like FORTRAN, COBOL, even RPG and Pascal (which would later be the forerunner to C). And then on to "modern-day" languages like C, C++, and Visual Basic.

In fact, the book devotes much of its concept to Visual Basic (VB), stating that a lot of the concepts in learning VB can be applied to other programming languages. The book devotes several chapters about VB, along with numerous helpful diagrams that help to show the different concepts being described. Subsequent chapters take on other languages like C and C++, along with batch and scripting languages. I never realized how simple a scripting langauge could be to put together.

There's also a big section on "Internet programming languages," like HTML, DHTML, XML, Java, and Javascript. While they are only touched upon briefly, you still get a general idea of how each langauge works. While it may be a stretch to call HTML and XML "languages" per se, they are still obviously important to know if you plan to do any web programming.

This is an excellent book for a beginning programmer or even for a technical writer who wants to know a little bit about programming concepts.

One of the best beginner's guides to programming. - 2001-07-11
Reviewer Rating:
This book is one of the best beginner's guides to programming. It will teach you from the very beginning point to the fundamental of programming. The book will teach you basic programming language Visual Basic and will mention C, C++, Java and Web Programming. It is wriiten quite understandable in Plain English. If you want to programm but do not know where to start this book can be your starting point. Good Luck.

GREAT - 2007-05-03
Reviewer Rating:
This book is great for beginners with no programming knowledge at all. That was me and this book is very easy to follow.

One of the best beginner's guides to programming - 2001-07-11
Reviewer Rating:
This book is one of the best beginner's guides to programming. It will teach you from the very starting point to the fundamental of progamming world. The book will teach you basic programming langauge Visual Basic and will mention C, C++, Java Scripting and Web Programming. It is written quite understable in plain English. If you want to programm but do not know where to start this book can be your starting point. Good luck.

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