From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Fri Jul 1 18:36:27 2016 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) by mailman.ysv.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 038F3B8F6DF for ; Fri, 1 Jul 2016 18:36:27 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsd_atog@comcast.net) Received: from resqmta-ch2-11v.sys.comcast.net (resqmta-ch2-11v.sys.comcast.net [IPv6:2001:558:fe21:29:69:252:207:43]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384 (256/256 bits)) (Client CN "resqmta-po-01v.sys.comcast.net", Issuer "COMODO RSA Organization Validation Secure Server CA" (verified OK)) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id BEB312CE9 for ; Fri, 1 Jul 2016 18:36:26 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsd_atog@comcast.net) Received: from resomta-ch2-18v.sys.comcast.net ([69.252.207.114]) by resqmta-ch2-11v.sys.comcast.net with SMTP id J3HvbL0xaTKbsJ3IfbJB5r; Fri, 01 Jul 2016 18:36:25 +0000 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=comcast.net; s=q20140121; t=1467398185; bh=Q+BpwO3lsk79DJ68z9pv+bxAd5t5DbTTAX/L3PfL3fA=; h=Received:Received:Date:From:To:Subject:Message-ID:MIME-Version: Content-Type; b=oZcGNm+wJ+KuwYP6psS3XZQ7OsXB7zz4yd0nTYMsIpXULnGSz1wjbITmc5NslD3UC mXwQFc+No0ZV0hLB1ok0vgZ3CUjG9WzvAfGxBebsFaD7CZKpXXp0xf2aEeWz27KNGL ql840gsehN+HISmwMuq4063v4RBAgpErUd/nDEocZwXhYK8z0mGHnpTNkKMHL/elbN JThlPrMzxdKzqIsi77+5ixm9BpyXhrNrfOueEo93wSCg0MfQaCQAyT6p01fkNflcMp Fi2pVQqiDZFxATg/UksyZR/tyvXrlmi1MuPsR1hOTo4GbB3osg19t6KJxBKQJamazs xNjFP8VcguMGA== Received: from KoggyBSD.org ([68.60.93.182]) by resomta-ch2-18v.sys.comcast.net with comcast id DWcQ1t00D3w4emU01WcRY6; Fri, 01 Jul 2016 18:36:25 +0000 Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2016 14:35:53 -0400 From: Allen To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: "Simple" Languages in FreeBSD Message-ID: <20160701143553.159d8c72@KoggyBSD.org> In-Reply-To: <86poqx31vh.fsf@WorkBox.Home> References: <20160630175243.063e07a7@KoggyBSD.org> <86poqx31vh.fsf@WorkBox.Home> X-Mailer: Claws Mail 3.13.2 (GTK+ 2.24.29; i386-portbld-freebsd10.1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.22 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2016 18:36:27 -0000 On Fri, 01 Jul 2016 08:48:50 -0500 Brandon J. Wandersee wrote: <*SNIP*> > I'll echo what some others have said, and recommend that before you > learn any language you should learn about the fundamentals and > different paradigms of programming itself: variables, loops, > branches, and all that. Most programming language tutorials I've seen > assume the reader already has a general understanding of how to > string logic together when writing a program. Given the length of my last Mail, I've snipped my portion out to keep this a little smaller for everyone reading it :) I agree with you; Every book or how to that I seem to see, assumes from the get go that you already have an understanding of this, and I don't really. > Since *nix is your platform, and you're looking for something > "simple," I'd have to recommend starting with Bourne shell > scripting.[1] Every Unix/Linux implementation uses shell scripts for > common tasks, and shell scripting will both teach you more about how > Unix-like operating systems work, and save you from being buried in > the low-level, highly abstracted, get-your-hands-really-dirty sorts > of tasks other programming languages are suited for. The Bourne shell > (/bin/sh) is found on all *nix platforms, and anything written in > good old Bourne syntax can be interpreted by any other shell (Bash, > ZSH, (T)CSH, Kourne...), so it serves as a good starting point for > learning how to write scripts for your shell of choice, and your > scripts will work anywhere a Unix shell is available. And since many > things in FreeBSD---including all the rc(8) and periodic(8) > scripts---are written in Bourne shell, learning that will give you > insight into how FreeBSD does some things under the hood, and > possibly let you change some of your system's behavior with relative > ease and without having to hack the operating system itself. OK, this is what I'm aiming for as one of my short term Goals. I want to be able to customize System Start Up and all that, but also be able to write things I can use as well, and that seems like it's exactly what I should do. Although I do eventually want to be able to Hack on the Kernel, that's going to take me some time. It's one of my Long Term Goals. It's one of the reasons that I asked my question here, because BSD is one of my main OSs of Choice. I've supported it in every way I have been able to for a long time (I still have the box and book and CDs that my FreeBSD PowerPak came in which came with FreeBSD 4.0-RELEASE, heh, and I have purchased just about everything from the FreeBSD Mall, and helped whenever I could with Money, but to be able to help with Code, would be nice). By the way, slightly OT; If anyone reading this is new to FreeBSD, or Unix in general, the books and Magazines available on the FreeBSD Mall are WONDERFUL! I've got like 5 Pairs of the BSD Boxers, Hundreds of Stickers, Bumper Stickers, the CD-Case, every Book sold there, and a bunch of the Tee Shirts and I did have a FreeBSD Hoodie but a guy I used to be friends with stole that, so I'll have to buy another since the quality and overall feel of those is great. /*End Shameless Plug for the FreeBSD Mall, which also sells things for Patrick Volkerding at the Slackware Store*/ > The tutorials at Codecademy can also be a fun way to learn a bit while > passing the time.[2] I'm a perpetual novice myself when it comes to > programming, so that sort of thing appeals to me. > > [1]: http://www.grymoire.com/Unix/Sh.html > [2]: https://www.codecademy.com/ > Thank you :) I'll look into these as well. I think I should have renamed the thread a little, because "Simple" Was probably not the best word to use for this, but again, thanks for replying. -Allen