Useful Computer Programming Resources

Qbasic

Qbasic is the basis for my understanding of programming. It has been provided as part of the files distributed with DOS since version 5.0. Qbasic is similar to line number Basic; however, line numbers are not required. It has the capability to create multi-line functions, and variables created within a function are typically available only within that function or sub-routine. Simple and effective text modification routines can be written in Qbasic without the added work of memory allocation and complicated string handling.

OAK Software Repository

Freeware and shareware programs are available here from Oakland University.

Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction, 1993, by Steve C. McConnell

Code Complete is the single most comprehensive book that I know of for describing the software development process and preparing a programmer to better understand and perform his or her task. The book contains several significant check-lists and contains many references and applications of the information to real life. There are many code examples from C, Pascal, and Basic. The book is published by Microsoft Press and has the ISBN number 1-55615-484-4.

DOS Programmer's Reference, 4th Edition, 1993, by Terry Dettmann and others

This book contains some useful technical information about DOS PC's in general and very good documentation for DOS interrupt calls. The book is published by Que and has the ISBN number 1-56529-150-6.

Microsoft Developer Network Development Library CD-ROM

New editions are distributed to subscribers four times a year. There is a high-level subscription that costs, I think, $495 to United States addresses, and a general subscription that is $195 to United States addresses. The CD-ROM contains complete books, journal articles, technical papers, knowledge base articles, sample code, and developer's tools that are keyword searchable. The higher price subscription includes actual operating systems for testing projects.

The Icon Book: Visual Symbols for Computer Systems and Documentation, 1994, by William K. Horton

The author provides information about the purpose of icons and what steps people go through to "read" an icon, even including a simple explanation of "how people process visual images". That's just the first two chapters! The book includes a selection of icons and a viewer for the icons; however, the icons are mainly black and white and, though showing the principles that the book is about, not very artistic. The ISBN is 0-471-59901-8 (book/disk).

Good nutrition!

Due to a reference to brain food, I've begun to eat fish more often. It seems to make a noticeable difference for me in wanting to and being able to concentrate on programming problems. It's reasonable that in the brain where the ability to have ideas and to keep persistence varies so much, that the effort to deal with difficult concepts should include good nutrition, too. I can see that this comment sounds a bit peculiar; however, it's one of the best pointers I've received in regards to preparing for programming.