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mbotta · Jan 28, 2003, 04:52 AM

For the past year, I've been buying books on programming in Cocoa (Cocoa Programming for OSX by Hilleglass, Building Cocoa Applications by Garfinkel and Mahoney). I've never been able to finish any of them, because of the previous programming experience that they presume.

The only programming experience that I can genuinely claim is that of developping in VBA, specifically for MS Excel, on Windows. If I want to start programming in Cocoa, would anybody please enlighten me as to what would be the next steps I should take?

Please be gentle and take into account I am not a full-time programmer...

Thanks for your advice.

mbotta

Chuckit · Jan 28, 2003, 12:38 PM

Learn C. That's the programming experience all the Cocoa books assume, since Objective-C is just built on top of C. There are lots of good C tutorials on the Web if money is a factor, too.

MacMonster · Jan 28, 2003, 12:45 PM

Java !!! You can develop cross-platform GUI applications or applets with Java. I perosnally think that Java is easier to learn than Objective-C.

Chuckit · Jan 28, 2003, 01:05 PM

Originally posted by MacMonster:
Java !!! You can develop cross-platform GUI applications or applets with Java. I perosnally think that Java is easier to learn than Objective-C.

You know, if somebody asks what they should to do learn something, it's really off the topic to start evangelizing for something else.

milf · Jan 28, 2003, 02:45 PM

You know, if somebody asks what they should to do learn something, it's really off the topic to start evangelizing for something else.

Granted it's annoying when people rave about Java, but it's objected-oriented design concepts make it a useful langauge to know/learn. Hillegass even recommends knowing Java/C++ before attempting his book and Objective-C. Plus, like MacMonster said, applications can always be developed in Java, although I prefer Objective-C.

Mbotta,

As for a response to your post, I'm in a similar boat. I just picked up Programming Cocoa for OS X as well and already knowing C/C++ and a little Java has helped a bit. I'd agree with Chuckit. Learn C. It's a good language to know, even if not for learning Objective-C

chicken_tastes_good · Jan 29, 2003, 11:23 PM

I think everyone needs to start with C
As obtuse and challenging as C may be, learning it requires that you UNDERSTAND how memory and pointers and all work.

From C you can easily pick up C++ and gain a basic understanding of OO programming. Then you can branch off into Java, Obj-C, Python or any other higher-level language and know how much easier these languages are than C, but still have firm enough roots that you don't take it for granted.

If someday you become involved in a Linux project, chances are C will be involved.

I simply couldn't imagine learning C from the bottom down. That is, I couldn't imagine starting with Python and moving down to Java/C++ and then to C. The wierdness and strictness of C compared to Python/Java would make me run away from it. Coming from the bottom up follows the natural progression of the language evolution.

Buy a copy of Kernighan and Ritchie's The C Programming Language (they created C - and its only a 250 page book that covers ALL of C)
and sit down with Project builder and work though the first few chapters. Get a handle on it and then get a book on C++ and do the same exercises. Then find a tutorial on C++ object oriented programming (or Java) and get a handle on OO stuff (or just move to Obj-C).