Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ask Slashdot: Beginner To Intermediate Programming Projects?

Posted by Soulskill on from the port-quake-3-to-my-microwave dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I've been teaching myself to code recently. I've made good progress so far, and I've written a bunch of little scripts to make my life easier. Here's the problem: most project ideas I come up with now either seem pretty easy or pretty impossible. I'm having trouble thinking of a project that'll stretch my skills without overloading them. I've tried finding open source projects to read through, but I run into the same thing: either it's straight-forward, or it requires reading a half-dozen dependencies, each of which has dependencies of their own. Anyone have suggestions on some intermediate-skill projects to undertake? Or some project files in an online repo that go beyond the basics without getting overwhelming? My language of choice is Python, but other languages are welcome."

7 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Try a microcontroller project. by wb8nbs · · Score: 5, Informative

    I would suggest getting an Arduino. There's tons and tons of example code out there at all levels of expertise. And it's fun.

    1. Re:Try a microcontroller project. by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I don't know dick about programming, and I've been having fun with my little Arduino.

      It brings me back to my callow youth, playing with a breadboard and figuring out how to make LED's flash. Except this Arduino can actually do stuff.

      Right now, I'm playing with making a sort of frankenstein controller for an old analog modular synthesizer. A cross between a Theremin and a Kaoss pad and percussion pads.

      But it might end up as a cat torture device, if that damn thing doesn't stop chewing on my earbud cables.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  2. Something else? by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Programming isn't an end to itself. Well it can be but, generally we program to do something else - payroll, missile guidance, selling stuff over the internet, etc.

    What else do you know? Are you an expert in newt farming? Write an application to automate the tedious aspects of new farming.

    Once you have a problem to solve, it becomes attackable. Having to hunting around for the right sized problem suggests you aren't acknowledging the problems you already have.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  3. Project Euler by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    project Euler

  4. Don't overlook the easy by DerekLyons · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Don't sneer at the easy/simple/etc... Just because they seem so at first blush doesn't always mean they are so once you get into them. Not to mention, working on the basics never hurts no matter what you're trying to learn.

  5. To the tune: Let it be by AdamColley · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I find my code in tons of trouble,
    Friends and colleagues come to me,
    Speaking words of wisdom:
    "Write in C."

    As the deadline fast approaches,
    And bugs are all that I can see,
    Somewhere, someone whispers:
    "Write in C."

    Write in C, Write in C,
    Write in C, oh, Write in C.
    LOGO's dead and buried,
    Write in C.

    I used to write a lot of FORTRAN,
    For science it worked flawlessly.
    Try using it for graphics!
    Write in C.

    If you've just spent nearly 30 hours
    Debugging some assembly,
    Soon you will be glad to
    Write in C.

    Write in C, Write in C,
    Write in C, yeah, Write in C.
    Only wimps use BASIC.
    Write in C.

    Write in C, Write in C
    Write in C, oh, Write in C.
    Pascal won't quite cut it.
    Write in C.

    Write in C, Write in C,
    Write in C, yeah, Write in C.
    Don't even mention COBOL.
    Write in C.

  6. Re:Not kidding by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You should believe him. He's an AI I wrote last year when I was learning to program in Python. Now I'm an excellent programmer.