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Re: getting some tech skills?

From: Garry Knight <garryknight_at_gmx.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 17:07:38 +0100
Message-ID: <asfao9.769.ln@localhost.localdomain>


In article <83c1fb91.0109182013.22cadd9e_at_posting.google.com>, "Chris Jackson" <c_jax_at_my-deja.com> wrote:

> Which computer skills are considered to be the most valuable? I was a
> little overwhelmed when I went to the bookstore and found such a wide
> variety of topics in the computer section.
> Visual Basic

Windows only. The most-used development language in the Windows world and only worth learning if you want to work as a Windows app developer. For personal use, Delphi is better, easier to learn, and some versions are free, although there are some deployment restrictions. Earlier versions of VB were not truly object-oriented and seemed to rely on kludges to make them look as if they were.

> C++

The standard language for developing KDE/QT applications in Linux. Probably the 2nd most-used development language in the Windows world. Not the easiest programming language to learn. One language missing from your list is C, C++'s older brother; it's simpler to learn and is the standard language for developing Gnome/GTK applications in Linux. Unix and Linux were built using C. C++ is object-oriented while C wasn't intended to be (although you can use object-oriented techniques in any language).

> Perl,

One of the best scripting languages around. Not as easy to learn as some, perhaps, but it has most of the things you want to do on a Linux system built right into the language itself. Another good scripting language is Python; it's arguably easier to learn than Perl and is one I'd recommend to people starting to learn programming, especially since leraning to program is a higher-level skill than learning a programming language. Both Perl and Python are object-oriented and hence promote good programming habits.

> Java

The original cross-platform development language. A well-structured, high-level, object-oriented language that has the benefit that apps developed in Linux should work in Windows (or any other platform for which a Java Virtual Machine is available) straight away. It's also one of the languages used in website development.

Talking of cross-platform development, you might also want to take a look at Kylix, the Linux version of Borland's Delphi. As well as an enterprise edition (for corporate and client-server app development, hence v. expensive indeed) and a desktop edition (for developing most other apps that you might want to sell commercially, hence not *too* expensive), there is an Open Edition which you can use to develop apps under the General Public License (i.e. you're free to pass on the code - both source and binary - to anyone).

> Oracle

Oracle is a Database Management System with which I'm not familiar. I don't know whether it has its own native programming language, but Oracle DBs are accessible using SQL and the database interfaces of Perl, Python, Delphi, and some other languages. If you want to learn about database development on Linux, see 'SQL', below.

> Linux

Arugably the best OS you can get since a) it's a version of Unix, and b) it's free (as in speech and as in beer, usually). Since Microsoft decided that everyone is going to have to rent their OS and their software rather than buy it (AIUI), and since Microsoft have a policy of locking their customers into proprietary code and data formats, not to mention the 'dumbing down' of their software that goes hand-in-hand with making it easy to use (the inevitable by-product of attempting to make the computer into something it's not - an appliance), more and more people are looking to Linux for the solution to their corporate, as well as to their personal, computing needs. My personal feeling is that everyone who's interested in computers should learn as much as they can about Linux and everything that runs on it.

> Unix

One of the oldest OSes around and hence one of the most tried-and-tested. Since Linux is based on Unix, most sources of information about Unix are also sources of information about Linux. Once you've checked out the Linux shelves in your bookstore, you'll be delving into the Unix books for more in-depth information.

> SQL
SQL is a database access and programming language, based on its predecessor SEQUEL. SQL should be pronounced 'ess-cue-ell' but is often mispronounced as 'sequel', like its predecessor. The two main implementations of SQL on Linux are MySQL and PostgreSQL. If you want to learn how to access databases programmatically on Linux, you'll need to learn one of these two.

> and many others. If I want to learn computer skills, where should I
> begin?

Since you're posting in a Linux newsgroup, I assume you're using Linux and hence have access to the bash shell. I'd recommend learning about the environment you're using first of all and get to grips with a bit of bash shell scripting. If you can handle the basics of that (and it's not very hard) then consider moving on to Perl or Python. Once you've got that far you'll know whether you're a programmer or not (programmers aren't born or made, they're grown over a number of years).

It's also worth remembering that there are a great many more computer skills than just programming (most of your list covers programming, as do most of the books in the shop). For example, graphics design, music generation, video, computer-assisted learning (CAL), computer-assisted design (CAD), computer games, office work, publishing, multimedia applications, networking, sysadmin work, etc., etc.

I notice the list of newsgroups to which you've cross-posted your questions. It seems either you know more than you're letting on, or you picked them by similarity of name...

> I don't necessarily have any objectives to achieve by learning a new
> computer skill, other than having a little something to enhance my
> resume. Which computer skills will be most useful for me? Or, I
> guess a better question would be: how do I determine which computer
> skills would be most useful for me?

What you see in the bookshops is probably a rough guide to the skills that are in demand these days, but a better guide is the advertising in computer magazines (the ones aimed at the trade, not the monthlies aimed at consumers). From what I've seen, C++, Java and DBMS skills are currently in demand, and sysadmin skills will be needed until computers learn to look after themselves (probably never, despite what Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick think...)

-- 
Garry Knight
***** Note change of e-mail address *****
garryknight_at_gmx.net         ICQ 126351135
Linux registered user 182025
Received on Wed Sep 19 2001 - 11:07:38 CDT

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