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my problem with programming

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kalos:
hello!

I have been trying to learn programming years now but I always postpone it because I encounter some obstacles:

1) there is no dictionary. there are many terms involved, like functions, actions, commands, events, attributes, properties, etc that make it difficult to follow. is there a complete dictionary for programming?
2) there is no list of all commands. I cant find a list of all the commands that can be used. why there isn't really any?
3) there is no outline guide. apart from knowing which commands to use and how, there should be a guide of the whole overview structure of a program/script. like pseudocode. I cannot find instructions of this at all! how am I supposed to start a program? what am I supposed to include and in which order? I am not talking about the particular code exactly, but the overview, if you know what I mean

any help with these?

thanks!

wraith808:
what language are you trying to learn?  There are these things for many languages- I suppose you haven't found them.

MilesAhead:
Unfortunately it seems like the Programming Magazine is extinct.  That's where I got most of my insights.  Articles often cited programming text books and sometimes the author would suggest good beginner texts.

The ones I read are considered dated now I'm sure. They used the word "algorithm" rather than "pattern."  Perhaps you could find them in a large library or online.

Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs

Algorithms by Robert Sedgewick

I suggest starting with a variant of Pascal as it was designed as the teaching language.  The source code is usually easier to comprehend than C variants for the beginner.

For programming magazines the Dr Dobbs archive may be the best remaining source:
http://www.drdobbs.com/

Edvard:
1) there is no dictionary. there are many terms involved, like functions, actions, commands, events, attributes, properties, etc that make it difficult to follow. is there a complete dictionary for programming?
--- End quote ---

Well, yes and no.  Programming in general has a certain lexicon which you touch on in your question.  Almost all languages, for example, implement some method of storing information which can be referred to by a simple name; this is called a Variable.  Many languages also implement a method of putting together statements in an easily-referenced sub-routine that can return a result; that is a Function.  There isn't really a lingua franca as such, but maybe this will help some:
http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/program.htm
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_computer_programming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_object-oriented_programming_terms


Just knowing the terms in the dictionary may not get you very far into actually learning a programming language, but I agree knowing the terms will help to at least know what the heck someone is talking about.  So next time you happen upon a bit of programmorrhea, grab a pen (or notepad.exe), jot down the terms and references you don't understand, then look them up.  If after that you still don't understand, move on or dig deeper.

2) there is no list of all commands. I cant find a list of all the commands that can be used. why there isn't really any?
--- End quote ---

That depends on what language you are interested in.  EVERY language has its own list of commands somewhere.  A language reference guide in paper or pdf form, official wiki page, help files, all kinds of stuff.  The most basic specific terms and commands are often referred to as Reserved Words; these are the Rosetta Stone of every programming language from which the basic building blocks may be constructed and extended.  When you use these words, you are doing things in the language.  Just be aware that every language has its own list of words which may contain words common with other languages, but mean slightly different things and have different purposes and must be used according to each language's Syntax.  Syntax is each language's own rules for putting these words together in Statements in order to do things.  

3) there is no outline guide. Apart from knowing which commands to use and how, there should be a guide of the whole overview structure of a program/script. like pseudocode. I cannot find instructions of this at all! how am I supposed to start a program? what am I supposed to include and in which order? I am not talking about the particular code exactly, but the overview, if you know what I mean
--- End quote ---

I get what you are saying, but in practice it seems most people just have a general idea for what they want to do, and are familiar enough with the language to just start hacking.  For the closest thing to a universal method of describing program logic, I would recommend a flowchart.  Learn the logic of flowcharting (each box shape has a definite meaning), and you have much of the same logic a program must go through to accomplish a task.  Apply the specific language's Syntax to the corresponding flowchart nodes and you just may have a working program at the end.  As far as "what am I supposed to include and in which order?" goes, many languages require a statement or two or five that set up a basic environment in which to initiate action.  Pascal has "Begin" and a corresponding "End.", C has "int main()", Python has "def main()", BASH scrips have "#!/bin/bash", that sort of thing.  Some languages require you to define and initialize variables and functions before they are used, some don't.  It is up to you to learn what your chosen language requires, if any.  

Now, down to the real question:  
What is it you want to DO with your soon-to-be-learned programming skill?
Based on what your needs and proclivities are, I can more properly suggest a language to learn and point you to some solid resources to learn it.  Like I said, ALL the information you seek is available, I suspect you may be overwhelmed by the choices and not able to find a general reference.  Nothing wrong with that, it's actually pretty common.  For a while, I flitted from language to language, looking for "the One" to scratch all my itches, but I never ended up learning much either, until I settled on Pascal; It was the only language that I was able to get comfortable with very quickly, even object-oriented stuff, and it's just as powerful as any other.  I'm also taking the CS50 class on EdX, which is slowly but surely teaching me the rudiments of C. Highly recommended.

mouser:
Get yourself a good book for beginners and let it hold your hand a bit and walk you through some manageable assignments without overwhelming you.

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