This is one of the best links I know to learning Javascript. I would recommend learning Python if you want to be on the programming side as it will teach you the base concepts behind programming that will apply to every language. That said, with Node.js and more javascript frameworks than you can imagine, it's fairly useful these days. http://javascriptissexy.com/how-to-learn-javascript-properly/ My biggest piece of advice is just go do it. Just fucking do it. Don't get wrapped up in researching the differences between languages. Skip sections of the tutorial if they bore you. Figure out what you want something to do and then figure out how to build it and make it happen. It's much, much easier to learn something when you have a specific end goal to complete. I learned much more building a couple javascript function that allowed me to make a bar animate left and right as users clicked each button than I did in my semester long Javascript class. What the class did allow me to learn was why things are they way they are. But, if you are like me and quickly fall into boredom or feel like learning is a grind, it may better to learn how to do things and afterwards learn why it works that way. You will also retain the whys better when you have those "ah ha! that makes so much sense now!" moments rather than the moments of "I sorta understand why this will potentially be useful in the future".
100% agree. This applies to most things in life, too*. If you want to start doing something new, you have to do it. Time spent researching is time not spent practicing, and at an early stage, the gains you'll get from practice are much greater than the gains you'll get from picking the right tools**. Besides, making mistakes teaches you a lot, especially in the early days. Quoted again, because this is essential. If you don't have something to use it for, you won't be successful at learning a programming language. I first learned to program when I was 16. I didn't do any more until I was 20, and I'd forgotten all of it***. I've probably used 10 different languages at one time or another. I'm only fluent with two right now, because those are the ones I'm actively using. I keep thinking "Hey, it'd be cool to learn Julia", read a couple tutorials and then forget everything I've learned because I haven't got anything to use it for. Programming's an active skill, and if you don't use it, you lose it. *Not open heart surgery. **Speaking of which, @JethroTulli, have you picked a text editor yet? Don't spend too much time thinking about it, just get one and really learn it. If you're on windows, Notepad is pretty basic, but it's easy and will work for a beginner. When you want something more advanced, give Atom a try, or Eclipse if you want heavy-duty features. ***I'm sure some of the principles stayed with me, but the language itself (Perl) was gone completely from my memory.My biggest piece of advice is just go do it. Just fucking do it. Don't get wrapped up in researching the differences between languages. Skip sections of the tutorial if they bore you. Figure out what you want something to do and then figure out how to build it and make it happen.
Figure out what you want something to do and then figure out how to build it and make it happen.