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Understanding Programming Languages

July 14, 2011 by
Computer feestje

Image by arneheijenga via Flickr

Individuals who enjoy computer sciences and advancements in technology might be interested in learning how to become a computer developer. In order to be successful in this career path, people must understand the basics of programming, since without this knowledge, a program or website cannot be created.

There are many programming languages that are used to create computer applications, servers, and utilities. Basically, it is a way for humans to communicate commands to a computer. Every single program that is installed on a computer runs in a language that a computer can comprehend. Otherwise, the software would never be able to run. The main languages are Java, C, C++, and Assembler. Windows, Linux, and some other operating systems run in C and C++, while the process of booting and starting the computer is usually in Assembler. Java is used to run most software programs and applications.

Those who are interested in pursuing a career as a computer programmer or web developer can take courses, either online or in person, to understand the way these systems work. Many of these individuals will continue to take classes throughout the course of their career, since there are always changes in technology and updates to programming languages.

Computer science seems to be ever-growing. It can be a great career choice, as long as those interested understand the complexity of the work and attention to detail that will be expected. Those who enjoy this type of work are sure to find great pleasure in a job like this.

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The Basics of Learning Web Design

June 7, 2011 by
A graphical despiction of a very simple html d...

Image via Wikipedia

Perhaps you want to start a new online business and need a website, or you just want to learn web design as the start of a new career path. Whatever your needs, learning how to design websites can be an exciting endeavor.

In the past, website design was best left to the professionals; however, current technology has included the additional of easy to use WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) design tools has made it more accessible to the general public. While these tools have made web design a bit easier, it is still necessary to have HTML coding knowledge.

Here are a few general tips on learning web design.

Set aside some time each day to learn and practice the basics. While you can possibly learn the basics in one day, by taking a more lengthy learning approach you will retain the ideas and knowledge better. It is advised to take approximately one week to learn the basics and then move onto more advanced skills such as style sheets and Flash.

Check out websites such as dacode.org for more information on learning web design, as well as examples of well-designed sites.

Look for and use free online tutorials and instructional videos that teach both general design as well as web design skills. While you may be learning web design skills, a site that is not visually pleasing and uses poor graphic design elements will not be effective.

Check your HTML code regularly using a text editor such as NotePad. In addition, many WYSYWYG programs have code editors that will allow you to examine your code.

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Become an Online Game Designer

May 24, 2011 by

Software design and programming is one of the fastest growing and most sought-after job fields. This means that if you are interested in becoming a game designer, there is probably a place for you in the field. It would be helpful to take some computer programming classes, but the most important thing you can do to be successful in programming is to practice and experiment with different platforms.

There are many places where you can go to start designing games. All of the smartphone companies have platforms that help designers, and they can be found online. Some even make the programming easy for someone that is not already super familiar with code. There is a high demand for smartphone apps, and this is a great place to get started if you are interested in becoming a game designer.

If you don’t already have an idea for an app, you can use the ideas of others. For instance, you could design a poker game and make it unique in some way.

Once you have mastered smartphone apps, the next step is to branch out into more advanced coding, like flash and PHP. This will enable you to create computer games that you can then sell on the internet or market to online game websites. Just remember that programming languages and technology are constantly changing, so you will have to continually learn new things.

But the great news is computers, smartphones, and other devices that need games and other software are not going away. This means that you will have a secure job if you enter the game designing industry and become good at it.

 

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There are Tutorials to Help You Code Your Site

February 22, 2011 by

If you don’t want to pay someone else to code your site for you, you may be able to do it for yourself. However, a lot of that depends on how much coding you’ll have to do and how complex it will get. If it’s something simple, you can probably find a tutorial for it. If you want to build a complicated site from scratch, it’s better for you to have someone create it, so you can be sure that it gets done right. For simple things, though, you can find information that you need in order to handle it and make little changes.

Some people are really determined to code their own site. If you’re in that category, there are tutorials that can help you. Search around, talk to people who do some coding, and network with other site owners to find out if they’ve done it for themselves or had others do it for them. There are plenty of online groups and forums where people express their wishes and wants and goals and dreams. You can find coders, and those who just want to be coders, on those kinds of places. Ask them to point you in the right direction, so that they will give you good advice and suggestions about what to do next.

You can also search for a specific type of code or how to do a specific thing in a certain type of code. If you can find that type of information, you can go a long way toward getting things done where building your site is concerned. Don’t be afraid to get in there and try. Just make sure you back your site up after each thing you do, so that a mistake further down the line doesn’t send you all the way back to the starting gate.

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How Does Ares P2P Work?

February 8, 2011 by

Peer to peer networking has gained a lot of fame recently because of the ease with which people can share files and programs online. A peer to peer network or a p2p network as it is more commonly known is a connection that is established with a community on the internet, which allows you to download files that have been uploaded and shared by other members of the community. The speeds that you get in downloading from a shared community are much higher as compared to an open download, but you need to use software, such as Ares p2p before you would be able to upload or download anything.

Ares p2p is great software for peer to peer networking. For one, it has a very large number of members, which means that you would be able to find a lot of programs and files available for downloading. Secondly, everything you download on Ares P2P is totally free, and the improved downloading speeds mean that you would be able to enjoy smooth quality downloading at all times.

The process is very simple. All you have to do is download the software and install it on your computer, after which it would automatically detect your computer settings and hook you up with the Ares network. Once you are connected, you can upload or download a file from the vast library that is available, and the good thing about having so many people online on Ares P2P is that the downloading speeds become very high.

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WHAT TECHNOLOGY HASN’T DONE YET

February 3, 2011 by

Technology has made it possible for those who can’t read or even make change to work in the fast food industry. Alarm clocks go off at the same time daily, thus a person does not need to set the alarm each night when going to bed. The home library has been replaced by computer files stored on a drive somewhere or even kept safe in the owner’s purse. Technology has also allowed the blind to have independent access to information more than ever before. This is done via the use of screen readers, of which some cost and some are free. These only hit on a few of the many ways in which technology has made life much more manageable for all of mankind. Still there are a few things technology has not done. Lets take a look, and perhaps these will inspire new technology to be created.

What if there were a way to tell a drunk that enough was enough? It could be an implant under the skin with a signal device that would transmit to a required speaker and identification number. A judge could even order someone to use such a thing. At the bar, after the person had so man, the alarm would go off and this loud audible voice would call out, “You have gone over your limit!” At this point the bartender could then leagally retrieve the person’s keys so that he or she could not drive, call a cab, and send them on their way. Now wouldn’t that be simple.

Yes this was only one big idea, and yet it could spark so many others. Smokers could be reminded that each puff brings further lung damage. Vitamin takers could receive encouragement, reminding them that they are doing something valuable and should be well pleased with themselves. Yes technology has done many good things. Perhaps though there are a few more to be done. However, involving technology in tackling such problems can be a very useful and welcome use of technology, a technology that has been infamously used for much destruction to the world.

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SKYPE, SOFTWARE BRINGS COMMUNICATIONS FREEDOM TO THE WORLD

February 1, 2011 by
Image representing Skype as depicted in CrunchBase

Image via CrunchBase

In Kansas City a young mother of twins manages her military home the best that she knows how. Way across the ocean in Germany her husband works with the United States Army. The telephone bill would be out of this world if they were to depend on that mode of communication. How can this family stay in touch, make decisions, and share daily events? He introduced her to a software known as Skype, available at www.skype.com.

In order to use Skype you will need a microphone, speakers, high-speed internet access, and enough RAM to permit the generated activity. After downloading and installing the program the user is prompted to create a totally free account. Once an account has been created, the client can start getting in touch.

Skype will let you import contacts from email accounts, Facebook, Myspace and other online locations. Also users can search the directory by name, email address, or even location. After creating a basic contact list it is time to chat and enjoy.

What are some of the many ways to communicate with Skype? Skype permits voice conversation, so you do not need to type if you do not want to. Instant messaging is available, along with file sharing, video conferencing, application sharing, and a few games. For a slight fee customers can add telephone service that can even go world wide. This software offers lots of options.

This family mentioned earlier can keep in touch every day with this software. She can share memorable moments of kids activities with him. He can let her see his smiling face and hear his charming voice. While Skype won’t bring him home to her, it will bring him as close as pictures as the internet will allow. This is marvelous technology, and it is also one of the most “emotive” uses that it can be used for.

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Do You Still Need to Learn Programming Languages?

January 29, 2011 by

If you don’t know any programming languages, you may be wondering if you still need to learn some of them. The answer is, maybe. It really depends on what you plan to do with the knowledge. If you’re going to make a career out of it, it’s best to find one particular language and get really good at it. If you just want it for your own knowledge and/or your own websites, you may be better off just picking up the basics of several different languages. Of course, you can also just pay someone else to do whatever programming you want done. The choice is completely up to you.

For anyone who is concerned about not knowing a programming language, you can get along just fine without it in the majority of cases. People who don’t know a programming language and want to start up a website can just choose to have someone do it for them, or they can pick a template from the company that is offering their hosting. There are many companies that will provide templates that you can choose from. Sure, your website will have the same background as other sites, but that’s usually not a problem unless you’re copycatting a direct competitor.

Of course, you can’t make changes to the templates beyond what they are already programmed for unless you know the programming language used to create them, so that is something you’ll have to make peace with. As long as that doesn’t bother you, there shouldn’t be any worries about not knowing how to program in a particular language. A lot of people don’t, and they’ve managed to set up nice websites that provide plenty of information for their customers. You can be part of that group without knowing a lot about programming, so don’t let that stop you.

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Learning About Coding

January 27, 2011 by

Coding is complex, and it’s not the kind of job that everyone will want. Some people are interested in it because they want to make it a career, and other people like it because they can use it to build their own websites. Some do both. If you want to make a career out of coding, you will need practice. You will also need formal education and training in it, because you don’t want to just assume that you can learn all you need to know from books and other tutorials, and then go get a job. Working for yourself might be possible that way, but working for others will require proof of the education that you have.

Even people who work for themselves as coders should have formal education, because clients will feel more comfortable with people who have demonstrated experience in the kinds of things that they are doing. Education is one of the best ways to show that you have the right experience for a particular job. You’ve proven that you’re capable of doing it correctly, or you wouldn’t have passed the tests and received your degree. Of course, what you’ve done since that time and any clients or references can also help you make your case, whether you’re trying to get a job with someone else or you’re interested in working as a freelancer.

There is money to be made in coding, because there aren’t that many people who can do it, and do it well. If you’re good at your job and you have the credentials to prove that, you can easily get the attention of people who want you to work for them. Be sure to learn about the standard rates that coders charge, so that you can set your prices accordingly. You don’t want to lose out on business because you charge too much, but it’s not a good idea to charge too little and undervalue yourself.

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Using Dream Weaver Takes Practice

January 26, 2011 by

Any program that you’re trying to learn will take some practice. You might not be sure how to use it right at first, and you’ll have to figure it out as you go. Of course, there are plenty of instructional works that you can get. There are books, online tutorials, and other sources of information that you’ll want to consult. The more you know about a particular program, the better off you’ll be when it comes to using it. That’s especially true if you’re going to claim knowledge of it in a professional capacity and use it on a resume or as a credential to get a job. Dream Weaver is one of those programs that takes a lot of knowledge, and people who know it and can use it correctly are in demand.

If you don’t know it yet, don’t despair. You’re not alone. You can learn it, though, without feeling as though you have to take years worth of education to get to a good understanding of it. Take a course that teaches it, if possible. If you don’t have that option, you may just want to get the program and the manual and dive right in. There are forums online that will help you if you get confused or have a question, so you won’t be completely alone in the process. Once you get very comfortable using it, you can use that knowledge to get work, if that’s what you’re looking for.

You can also use it just for things that you want to do, so it’s never bad to learn it. Who knows what you might want to do with it or what you can use it for in the future. Knowledge really is power, especially when it comes to technology and all of the things that you can do online. The more you know, the better off you’ll be in creating and maintaining an online presence.

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