Why Learn C? Read Me!

There are a lot of programming languages out there now: from the high level (xCode, Visual Basic) to the low level of assembly languages. Nevertheless, its best to learn to program in C as a first programming language because firstly, C has been around for 30+ years, and there are so many sources to learn from and fool around with (Sourceforge for example is a bank of code waiting to be looted). Moreover, thousands of sites and tutorials are available so that you can teach and practice by yourself.

The advantage of C is that it's almost English, it's like the English you'd use to IM! C expresses ideas of programming in terms you can understand (with a bit of effort). Furthermore, the principles of C are used in almost all other language, so you will be setting the basis for learning a lot of other languages. Essentially, by learning C, you are learning programming itself. Even though C is like English, it's actually French! You'd think it was made for you but it was actually made for the machine. You are able to work with pointers, bytes and even with every bit of data so that you can optimize memory usage and performance of your program. An when you'd involve yourself with advanced topics such as operating systems, C would come in handy for you to understand the intricacy of things such as networking and data management. And if you like the science of it all learning and using C will be a hell lot of fun.

Fun programming is a nick name for C, using it you can write everything from web applications to pretty games. And if you need further persuasion, here is something that will surely persuade you, C was used to write Unix: the mother of all (good) operating systems. And it was possibly used to write Microsoft Windows as well.

By now I hope I have got you all fired up to dive into C, well get your suit and type in the following addresses:
The GNU C Programming Tutorial: the “open source” book.

Sourceforge: the “open source” bank, rob it!

Code::Blocks: one of the best open source IDE ever.

That's all you need, along with a good amount of motivation and jokes:
Once a programmer drowned in the sea. Many Marines where at that time on the beach, but the programmer was shouting "F1 F1" and nobody understood it.

Why all Pascal programmers ask to live in Atlantis?
Because it is below C level.

Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life.

A project manager, a computer programmer and a computer operator are driving down the road when the car they are in gets a flat tire. The three men try to solve the problem.
The project manager said: "Let's catch a cab and in ten minutes we'll reach our destination."
The computer programmer said: "We have here the driver's guide. I can easily replace the flat tire and continue our drive."
The computer operator said: "First of all, let's turn off the engine and turn it on again. Maybe it will fix the problem."
Suddenly a Microsoft software engineer passed by and said: "Try to close all windows, get off the car, and then get in and try again."
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By Kowsheek Mahmood
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
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The Aftermath Publications, Issue 1
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