ProgrammingObjectives

• What is a programming language?• Difference between source code and machine

code• What is python?– Where to get it from– How to write “hello world” program in python

ProgrammingWhat is programming?

Programming is how software is made! Lines of code are written by a programmer in order to perform specific tasks. Source code is human readable code and is almost always stored as a simple text file. That means you can program in any text editor!

You can program in special programs known as IDE or integrated development environments. There is still a text editor at their heart but they offer extra features such as syntax highlighting or debugging.

ProgrammingSome myths!

Programming is hard.Nope, it is just different! Everything is hard when you first try it!

Programmers are all geeks.Wrong. Programmers are as different from each other as you are from your class mates. Programmers have to be able to work in a team so social skills are just as important as programming skills.

All programmers are male.Computer science attracts more males than females but there are female programmers out there! Females tend to prefer working with others so they like the social aspects of software development. Remember that software is made by teams of people!

Jobs in ICT mean you have to program all dayThere are many different career opportunities in the world of ICT. Well under half of Microsoft’s employees will be programmers.

ProgrammingProgramming knowledge Vs programmer?

Understanding programming will unlock a huge array of possibilities with your computer. It will give you a deeper understanding of how computers work and also how to unlock the power tools.

A lot of people who know how to program tend not to actually be programmers. They may work in a ICT environment where they need to understand what is going on but may not be actually required to program.

Think of it like learning a new language. Some people become fluent (the programmers) while some will only learn key phrases and words in order to get by. Just because you can speak a bit of French does not mean your going to be a French translator!

ProgrammingSource code

Source code is written in a text editor. Like in English you have to ensure everything is spelt correctly and is in the correct order. We call this syntax. If you get your syntax wrong then the computer will not understand what you mean. We call this a syntax error.

ProgrammingPython

Python is a programming language. It is known as being easy to use and get started on but also fast and powerful. As a first language it is perfect!

You can download python from

www.python.org/downloads

Once installed you will also need to download an IDE. There are many options here (just do a Google search for python IDE to see how many!). I suggest two

GeanyNetbeans with python plugin.

ProgrammingMy first program

Enter the code above into the IDE as shown by your teacher. Mess around a bit, see what happens!