Can one learn programming in VB.net using Visual Studio (Winforms stuff) and never learn what a console "hello world" looks like or how, in code, to change which part of the program starts at execution (and other basic things like that) and still be a successful VB.net programmer? Or are there roadblocks just waiting there to be hit?
+2
A:
I'm sure you can, but I don't think it's a good idea. You'd probably pick up the core ideas through trial and error - but you may well end up with plenty of misconceptions, and you'll probably waste a lot of time in that trial and error phase.
I'd thoroughly recommend learning core concepts first. Apart from anything else, UI development is full of its own little foibles - if you don't know the core stuff to start with, you won't know whether you've hit a UI gotcha or whether your core knowledge is lacking.
Jon Skeet
2009-02-25 13:48:10
UI design is an entirely different skill than programming (in any language). Designers need not necessarily be good programmers (or even know any programming) and, likewise, programmers need not necessarily know anything/much about good UI design. Most programmers are awful designers.
Mussnoon
2009-02-26 03:31:14
@Muhammad: I'm not sure whether you're agreeing with me or not.
Jon Skeet
2009-02-26 06:28:35
+1
A:
Depends on what you are doing with the programs. If you are just programming little tools for yourself to use, then there is probably no harm. For hobby projects you can know as little as you want. However, if you are programming as a job, you should have a much better grasp at what is going on. You may be able to fake your way through for a while, but eventually somebody is going to ask you to do something that should be simple, but because of your limited knowledge of programming is utterly impossible. Then you will know why you have to know the basics.
That being said, there's a lot of programmers out there in the real world with exactly that level of knowledge who do have jobs. Personally, I think it's a bad idea, but you can't argue with the market. If these people have jobs, there must be a real market need for this type of programmer. Kind of goes along with what Welbog said. You can be successful in that you can hold down a job. But you still won't be a good programmer.
Kibbee
2009-02-25 13:55:12
A:
Maybe your application works, and you get no exceptions.
But I do not want to maintain your code, or do not want to integrate to your web service :)
Canavar
2009-02-25 13:55:47
A:
It depends what you mean by success really.
It's entirely possible to write a decent winforms application without writing console apps and without changing the starting form from the default.
When it comes to crafting well written applications in a professional way, you're likely to find requirements that mean using a boot strapper (which will control the initial flow) so at that point you'll definitely need to do some research.
TreeUK
2009-02-25 13:59:57