Which book\resource should i read?

[bikdel]

I am an average computer user, rather one of the experienced users in my friend circle... And through these years I have learnt to use the computer pretty well "windows of course"... And I know pretty much about hardware; how it works and general troubleshooting...

Now what I am wishing to learn is the following about which I am totally noobish. I would like you guys to refer me resources/books which I should read for it..

1. Programming
I dont know even one bit of programming or any of the languages. no LOGO, BASIC, QBASIC, etc idea. I wanna learn it from the grasshood level.A resource which answers questions like the following:
Whats is programming?
What does it Do?
How is it done?
What is the role of hardware?
How to software and hardware interact at the basic level?
They say computer only understand "0"s and "1"s. How is the information we give processed in it then?
How is programming done by using words when the computer itself understands only "0 and "1"s?
How many kinds of programming languages are there?
Why are different languages needed?
What are the basic steps of programming?
Which is the most basic language that can be learnt and hence programs be created?
What is 16 bit, 32 bit, 64 bit (Why programs are dfifferent in this way?) ?
How are GAMES made?

2. Internet and Network
Where does the data stay in the internet?
How do we connect to the data there?
How can we download data at so high speeds when at the same time so many people may be accessing it hence increasing traffic on that web server?
What is IP address, gateway, subnet mask, etc? How are the assigned?
How do we know which IP is online?
How do we share data by knowing IP address of two computers?
How does FTP work?
What do we mean by HTTP?
What is TCP/IP protocol?
What is DHCP?
What are the basics of NETWORKING?

3. Web Designing
How is it done?
What is WEB 2.0?
How do we create our website?
How do we get space for creating the website?

4. Basic of Operating Systems
What are the different operating systems?
What makes them different?
How does an operating system work?
Whats a kernel? What does it do?
A little something about starting out with LINUXtoo...


Alright soooo many questions.. Sorry for that, but i thought this would be an ideal place to ask that..

I have 4 categories mentioned...
Could you guys help me out with One Book For Each Category?
Books are better than online tutorials but apart from mentioning the books, you guys can also give me some online materials.

Books are compulsory... Also please reccommend books from good publications that are READILY AVAILABLE...

Thanks you in advance... I really need it guys...

Regards
Bikalp Paudel

[mehulved]

Try some .... for Dummies books, they aren't awefully good but can do for people who wouldn't like to be professionals in the field.

[dheeraj_kumar]

You want us to answer all the above questions, or refer you a book to learn those? Why dont you look them all up on wikipedia? Almost all topics you have mentioned are explained there.

[QwertyManiac]

Haven't they thought you programming in school? Many of those questions you ask are all covered in school!

[dheeraj_kumar]

Maybe he finished his schooling long back... And many schools, especially in rural areas, and some even in cities dont teach basic computer science to students. Even if they do, they are not in a position to answer their questions.

[mehulved]

Originally Posted by QwertyManiac

Haven't they thought you programming in school? Many of those questions you ask are all covered in school!

I didn't know any of it even after passing Junior College.

[Pathik]

Same here. Till I started Engg.

[QwertyManiac]

Pathik - Eh, you're the same generation as me!

[jax_diu]

go to www.w3schools.com

[bikdel]

Nah, nothing @ school, just finished 12th guys, am not that old

and i studied in dps, dharan.
Pathetic lab, a$$hole teachers. Never taught well, nothin more than logo, gwbasic, qbasic. as it was never evaluated in exams.
We were made to make excel files in 10th. Lol.
Anyway provide some viable solutions guys..
Books are the best way to learn, thats what i feel..

[Pathik]

Qwerty, seriously. In Maharashtra, SSC/HSC board, we dont normally have any Programming course normally.

[praka123]

my advice.are you interested in mathematics ,solving puzzles reg mathematical?if NOT, shy away from programming
but if you have the courage to face,best of Luck

[Pathik]

Praka, Programming doesnt need courage. Just interest.

[praka123]

oh?interest?many are interested(incl me!) ,but without a solid mathematical base ,you cant do pretty much anything

[victor_rambo]

Originally Posted by Pathik

Praka, Programming doesnt need courage. Just interest.

ateast true with me!

[praka123]

what if the subject got math-phobia?

@bikdel: I got a book called C programming for dummies 2nd edition by Dan Gookin .this book is what is the most friendly I saw.

[dheeraj_kumar]

Wikipedia man, it has everything you ask.... I just checked it.

[bikdel]

Originally Posted by praka123

what if the subject got math-phobia?

@bikdel: I got a book called C programming for dummies 2nd edition by Dan Gookin .this book is what is the most friendly I saw.

well i aint gud in maths either. But don wana be a pro @ it. Precisely wat kinda math is required?
Am gud @ algebra n arithmetic

i m out of town ryt now. No pc access. So need a book. Will look into wikipedia later. Ive been using it for solutions many times.

@praka123, does ur book have an intro to programming?

[praka123]

^YES!It is for introduction to programming(C) basically!I prefer this book. remember to get the 2nd edition.

[bikdel]

So u mean it tells us abt programming n then it introduces to C language? 2nd edition would be a revised 1st ed? Ryt?
Are these books expensive?
Anyway thnx.
And what abt the other 3 topics n books that il need? Any idea.
Sory for too many questions..

[karmanya]

Books are expensive. especially the ...For Dummies series.
Just go to a decent bookstore and ask around for books on programming(i would suggest start with something easy like python or basic), networking and whatever your other categories are. Flip through the book to see if you can easily understand it. Simple as that.

[azaad_shri75]

Originally Posted by bikdel

Nah, nothing @ school, just finished 12th guys, am not that old

and i studied in dps, dharan.
Pathetic lab, a$$hole teachers. Never taught well, nothin more than logo, gwbasic, qbasic. as it was never evaluated in exams.
We were made to make excel files in 10th. Lol.
Anyway provide some viable solutions guys..
Books are the best way to learn, thats what i feel..

what the heck? who framed such useless syllabus

[mehulved]

Originally Posted by azaad_shri75

what the heck? who framed such useless syllabus

Ours was worse. Introduction to Computers in standard 5, logo in standard 6 and 7, introduction to windows in standard 8 and MS Office in Standard 9 and 10.

[Pathik]

^Same. And even that wasnt complete

[mehulved]

Originally Posted by Pathik

^Same. And even that wasnt complete

And thankfully for me, I never understood anything

[Pathik]

I did but I was disgusted that they wasted my 4 schooling years teaching me crap any half brained nitwit could learn in a day. So I used to shift to playing Wolf 3d and Dave instead of paying attention.

[bikdel]

^^ thats what happend to me. The things taught were too easy even to arouse any curiosity amongst us.
Dave, wolf, lion king, bumpy, n some sega racing games came to rescue.
I never really felt that i had to atleast learn wat was taught. So dont know logo n basic. But thats damn easy n can b learnt in no time.
So what should i look for? Just some books frm nearby bookstore?

[dheeraj_kumar]

^^ And they are of no use. Dont bother with LOGO and BASIC. If you want to start programming, start from VB or C. For books, get Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 24 hours by SAMS publishers (I have this book), or Yashwant Kanetkar's Let Us C (I dont know how this one is, just that my friends use it)

[Pathik]

Try cprogramming.com

[bikdel]

Originally Posted by dheeraj_kumar

^^ And they are of no use. Dont bother with LOGO and BASIC. If you want to start programming, start from VB or C. For books, get Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 24 hours by SAMS publishers (I have this book), or Yashwant Kanetkar's Let Us C (I dont know how this one is, just that my friends use it)

these book do have a general intro to "what is programming" i suppose. Wil look out for them.
@pathik. . will definitely go tn thd site once i get access to pc when i get back home.