flowcharts, self-learning

[jasong]

I had a hell of a time coming up with a title. Basically, I want to learn programming and learn the best way to approach a programming problem. Ultimately, I want to teach myself programming, advanced math, and maybe some physics.

I have a social anxiety disorder problem and the more that's expected of me the more stressed out I get. But doing everything over the Internet cuts down the problem to about a tenth of what it is normally.

I need to come up with a game plan to (1) Figure out where my weaknesses are intellectually, and (2) come up with a plan of attack to fleshing out my knowledge.

I'm really not sure if that should involve college at all. At the moment, I'm not sure which way to turn.

Just to give more information, I have an IQ of about 120, but my mental illness has prevented me from improving myself until about 3 years ago. Medication has improved dramatically in the last decade or so, and while I probably couldn't cope with the stresses of things that would normally be expected of someone with my intelligence, I'm desperate to improve myself. Financially, I've resigned myself to being poor, but there's always the chance that there will be a medical breakthrough that will enable me to get a normal job. I want to be as prepared as possible for that possibility.

How do you think I should approach this?

[Wacky]

Jason,

First, I suggest that you perform a self-evaluation of your "High School" training, whether while in school, or afterward. Do you think that you (a) got "socially passed", but never really learned the material, (b) learned the subjects to an "average" level, or (c) really learned the material well.

If you feel that you learned the "high school" subjects, particularly math, at least reasonably well, then try investigating the OpenCourseWare from MIT.

The price of admission is right. And the pressure to learn the material has to come from within.

[Xyzzy]

http://ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCS/pytho...2e/index.xhtml

My suggestion would to be to stop thinking so much and just read some books. The one above assumes you know nothing.

Personally, we like to solve problems. This website is a ton of fun, and again assumes that you know nothing:

http://train.usaco.org/usacogate

[jasong]

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

http://ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCS/pytho...2e/index.xhtml

My suggestion would to be to stop thinking so much and just read some books. The one above assumes you know nothing.

Personally, we like to solve problems. This website is a ton of fun, and again assumes that you know nothing:

http://train.usaco.org/usacogate

Thanks Xyzzy. I think you've mentioned that website before, now that I think about it, but I had forgotten about the thread.

[wreck]

Originally Posted by jasong

I had a hell of a time coming up with a title. Basically, I want to learn programming and learn the best way to approach a programming problem. Ultimately, I want to teach myself programming, advanced math, and maybe some physics.

I have a social anxiety disorder problem and the more that's expected of me the more stressed out I get. But doing everything over the Internet cuts down the problem to about a tenth of what it is normally.

I need to come up with a game plan to (1) Figure out where my weaknesses are intellectually, and (2) come up with a plan of attack to fleshing out my knowledge.

I'm really not sure if that should involve college at all. At the moment, I'm not sure which way to turn.

Just to give more information, I have an IQ of about 120, but my mental illness has prevented me from improving myself until about 3 years ago. Medication has improved dramatically in the last decade or so, and while I probably couldn't cope with the stresses of things that would normally be expected of someone with my intelligence, I'm desperate to improve myself. Financially, I've resigned myself to being poor, but there's always the chance that there will be a medical breakthrough that will enable me to get a normal job. I want to be as prepared as possible for that possibility.

How do you think I should approach this?

I can tell you some of my experieces, hope that would help you a few.

When I was in the university(2000~2004), I study the math subjects of Mathematics Analysis,Advanced Algebra,College Physics,PASCAL Language ,Probability Theory & Mathematical Statistics,Complex Variables Functions ,Operational Research, etc.
If you want learn Advanced Algebra better, Mathematics Analysis or Advanced Mathematics at the same time, these subjects' textbook should be easy find at most big bookshop.

It seems like that your IQ is similar to me(122), but after I know the IQ of my classmates' IQ, I'm a little puzzled by the result,I asked about two classmates whom I dont think cleaver than me, but they both have IQ more than 140.And the persons I think cleaver than me are doing not well these days. So I think the IQ maybe not the key point to care.

Sometimes I also anxiety, but most of time I can get out of it. And most of the time anxiety can let me have the motivatation to improve myself.

For programming, I mainly learn C language, though P language is the subject that I have.The main reason is TC is installed in most of our university's computers.And I think the basic of the language is not difficult, I only borrowed one or two books referring to it from the library.When it's grade 2, we learn Visual C++;And after I work, I learn some materials about MFC,JAVA.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by wreck

For programming, I mainly learn C language, though P language is the subject that I have.The main reason is TC is installed in most of our university's

Two comments.

1) Pascal is hardly ever used in the real world. C is very widely used.

2) It doesn't matter, much, what language you use to learn programming (though, to be fair, some languages are easier to read and write than others).

Never, never confuse the two concepts. My advice is to learn how to program and don't worry too much about what language you use. Part of learning how to program is to have a good idea about which is/are the best language(s) in which to implement your programs. Anyway, after the first dozen or two, learning another language is no big deal.


Paul

[Xyzzy]

My advice is to learn how to program and don't worry too much about what language you use. Part of learning how to program is to have a good idea about which is/are the best language(s) in which to implement your programs. Anyway, after the first dozen or two, learning another language is no big deal.

We agree. Which is why the "Think Like a Computer Scientist" book is so great. It teaches programming concepts. It is free. It comes in different flavors, so after you do the Python one, you can do the Logo or Java one and see that the language really doesn't matter. (For these purposes.)

BTW, Logo is great fun, and, we think, unfairly classed as a children's toy.

More free books and software: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~bh/logo.html

We really enjoy this series of books.