macOS Help with programming, key concepts, everything

[Maxievelli]

Hi, I have never programmed in my life, and I need help understanding some key concepts which I'm sure are very simple. I know some very basic HTML and am using a iMac running Leopard. I'm currently in a sophomore web design class, which is the only programming my school offers and I can't afford to take any Community College classes. Which is why I need help.

• 
  Can you use an HTML editor to edit C or Java or Python?

• 
  What are the advantages of each major language? (the only two I know of are C and Java)

• 
  Does the Mac have an editor that can edit Python? (Python is the language I have decided to learn first)

• 
  Should I download a program to edit? I already have Komodo Edit, which I downloaded to try and figure out how to use, but didn't get very far

• 
  Are there any good tutorials I can find online? (specifically for python?)

And if you have ANY advice you can pass on to a rookie that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Cromulent]

Hi, I have never programmed in my life, and I need help understanding some key concepts which I'm sure are very simple. I know some very basic HTML and am using a iMac running Leopard. I'm currently in a sophomore web design class, which is the only programming my school offers and I can't afford to take any Community College classes. Which is why I need help.

• Can you use an HTML editor to edit C or Java or Python?

• What are the advantages of each major language? (the only two I know of are C and Java)

• Does the Mac have an editor that can edit Python? (Python is the language I have decided to learn first)

• Should I download a program to edit? I already have Komodo Edit, which I downloaded to try and figure out how to use, but didn't get very far

• Are there any good tutorials I can find online? (specifically for python?)

And if you have ANY advice you can pass on to a rookie that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

1) Yes, but it is pointless. The favourite editors you will hear mentioned in this forum are vi, nano, Xcode, Smultron, Text Wrangler and some crazy fools even suggest emacs.

2) C is pretty low level compared to most modern languages. You have to do everything yourself. The upside is it is probably the fastest language outside of assembly. Java, looks like C but is entirely object orientated (more so than C++ which always felt like a kludge to me), plus it is interpreted. The big thing about Java is that it is completely cross platform because the code runs on top of a virtual machine and not natively. Python is object orientated as well and is interpreted meaning it is going to be slower than C and quite possibly slower than Java too. Still Python is a great learning language.

3) I'd use either Smultron or Text Wrangler for writing code. Both are free. Google will help you .

4) http://docs.python.org/tutorial/