5 ms·

Yes do it. You can start now. Install and launch a text editor and learn how to do a "hello world" in javascript.

ColinWright 8y ago
I have Linux Ubuntu 14 - if I write a javascript program, what do I need to install to be able to run it? There's often a lot of schlepping about required to be able to get started in writing and running the simplest of programs, and it would be useful to see it documented for a range of languages. Does such a resource exist? I've Googled it on Bing, and Bung it on Google, and my search-fu is failing me.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- shubb 8y ago
  Javascript runs in a Web browser or you could install node abd use that to run it like a script. You might wanna grab a book or udemy beginners course and systematicaly work though it. Also if you find a good programmer discord they'll help you if something from it is unclear...
  - ColinWright 8y ago
    Everything you say is true, but I think you, and so many others, are underestimating just how much has to be done to get things running. So. Many. Tiny. Steps. A previous comment said: > Install and launch a text editor and learn how to do a "hello world" in javascript. It's not that easy, and I've never yet found a truly simple, no knowledge expected, step-by-step guide. Yes, JS runs ins a web browser. How? If I fire up a text editor, what do I put in it to write a "Hello World" program? Alternatively, how do I "install node and use that to run it like a script"? What's "node"? What version do I want? Where do I find it? How do I install it? How do I use it to run JS scripts? So. Many. Tiny. Steps. And some not so tiny. You know this (and I know it too) but so often I see "advice" like this thrown out at absolute beginners and it really doesn't help.
    - boyaka 8y ago
      Save it as an html file. Use html script tag to wrap your javascript.
      - ColinWright 8y ago
        So one would also have to learn some html markup and have a browser (which is probably a given, I know), and then have to understand at least a little of how the program outputs to the DOM, and how (or if) the output of the JS interacts with the HTML that's already there. I'm not saying any of this is a bad thing, it's just the way things are, but to an absolutely beginner it can feel insurmountable. I've seen the despair on beginners' faces when they've been shown yet another thing that has to be done, and which they don't understand. Then another, then another. So. Many. Tiny. Steps.
        mabynogy 8y ago
        For that, my advice is to use something integrated like Pharo or Basic256.
        ColinWright 8y ago
        See, and now our beginner has to learn what "Pharo" is, or "Basic256", and how to use them. It just feels like the rabbit hole has no bottom. Seriously - what is "Pharo"? What is "Basic256"? What do they do for me? How do I install them? How do I run/use/access them? It just feels endless. So. Many. Tiny. Steps. Some searching tells me that these are completely different alternatives to using Javascript. Now it's unclear why our beginner would want to use these - what advantages do they have over Javascript? Or Python? How will they get to a point of being able to contribute to Open Source, or to having an app or website others can use? What's the path? In a private communication someone has accused me of being deliberately obstructive here, but I'm just trying to raise awareness of the height of the barrier to getting started, and how little real help there is out there. We, as a community, should do better at helping people get started in programming, people of all ages and levels of life experience.
  - mabynogy 8y ago
    FYI I'm on that programming IRC channel: https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.rizon.net?channels=#/g/dpt https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.rizon.net?channels=#/g/dpt
- mabynogy 8y ago
  I install nothing because the node.js package of debian is always outdated (and I don't use npm). I download the precompiled binary (from here https://nodejs.org/dist/ https://nodejs.org/dist/) and put it in my working directory. The node binary is statically linked to its libs (standalone).

I have Linux Ubuntu 14 - if I write a javascript program, what do I need to install to be able to run it? There's often a lot of schlepping about required to be able to get started in writing and running the simplest of programs, and it would be useful to see it documented for a range of languages. Does such a resource exist? I've Googled it on Bing, and Bung it on Google, and my search-fu is failing me.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
shubb 8y ago
Javascript runs in a Web browser or you could install node abd use that to run it like a script. You might wanna grab a book or udemy beginners course and systematicaly work though it. Also if you find a good programmer discord they'll help you if something from it is unclear...
- ColinWright 8y ago
  Everything you say is true, but I think you, and so many others, are underestimating just how much has to be done to get things running. So. Many. Tiny. Steps. A previous comment said: > Install and launch a text editor and learn how to do a "hello world" in javascript. It's not that easy, and I've never yet found a truly simple, no knowledge expected, step-by-step guide. Yes, JS runs ins a web browser. How? If I fire up a text editor, what do I put in it to write a "Hello World" program? Alternatively, how do I "install node and use that to run it like a script"? What's "node"? What version do I want? Where do I find it? How do I install it? How do I use it to run JS scripts? So. Many. Tiny. Steps. And some not so tiny. You know this (and I know it too) but so often I see "advice" like this thrown out at absolute beginners and it really doesn't help.
  - boyaka 8y ago
    Save it as an html file. Use html script tag to wrap your javascript.
    - ColinWright 8y ago
      So one would also have to learn some html markup and have a browser (which is probably a given, I know), and then have to understand at least a little of how the program outputs to the DOM, and how (or if) the output of the JS interacts with the HTML that's already there. I'm not saying any of this is a bad thing, it's just the way things are, but to an absolutely beginner it can feel insurmountable. I've seen the despair on beginners' faces when they've been shown yet another thing that has to be done, and which they don't understand. Then another, then another. So. Many. Tiny. Steps.
      - mabynogy 8y ago
        For that, my advice is to use something integrated like Pharo or Basic256.
        ColinWright 8y ago
        See, and now our beginner has to learn what "Pharo" is, or "Basic256", and how to use them. It just feels like the rabbit hole has no bottom. Seriously - what is "Pharo"? What is "Basic256"? What do they do for me? How do I install them? How do I run/use/access them? It just feels endless. So. Many. Tiny. Steps. Some searching tells me that these are completely different alternatives to using Javascript. Now it's unclear why our beginner would want to use these - what advantages do they have over Javascript? Or Python? How will they get to a point of being able to contribute to Open Source, or to having an app or website others can use? What's the path? In a private communication someone has accused me of being deliberately obstructive here, but I'm just trying to raise awareness of the height of the barrier to getting started, and how little real help there is out there. We, as a community, should do better at helping people get started in programming, people of all ages and levels of life experience.
- mabynogy 8y ago
  FYI I'm on that programming IRC channel: https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.rizon.net?channels=#/g/dpt https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.rizon.net?channels=#/g/dpt
mabynogy 8y ago
I install nothing because the node.js package of debian is always outdated (and I don't use npm). I download the precompiled binary (from here https://nodejs.org/dist/ https://nodejs.org/dist/) and put it in my working directory. The node binary is statically linked to its libs (standalone).