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Ask YC: Learning Javascript (for non-programmers)

5 points by icey 18y ago

I have a number of non-developers here that will be trying to learn some rudimentary Javascript over the next few months. All the resources I have for Javascript are geared more towards people who are already developers. Can anyone recommend good training materials for Javascript? I'd prefer videos or something interactive. I already sent them: http://www.juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2007/09/09/learning-javascript/ and http://www.intelligentedu.com/blogs/post/best_new_training_sites/3720/top-40-javascript-video-tutorials-on-youtube But I'm looking for something a little more formal. Videos that must be purchased are totally fine as well, as long as they're good. There's already a copy of the Rhino book here, so that base has been covered. Thanks!

ph0rque 18y ago
Can't recommend enough this resource: http://eloquentjavascript.net/ http://eloquentjavascript.net/ It's a little lacking in some of the details, but that's what the follow-on resources are for.
- icey 18y ago
  This looks pretty decent; I'll send it on, thanks!
geuis 18y ago
Javascript, the good parts by Douglas Crockford. Seriously, your guys need to learn the fundamentals of JS before diving into dealing with the various DOM api's. Then use jQuery for all your code. It will make your guys better developers and make them happier
- icey 18y ago
  I was under the impression that JavaScript: The Good Parts was directed more at people who are currently developers. Was I mistaken? They are just making the logical progression from doing straight HTML to doing HTML & Javascript.
  - geuis 18y ago
    That book is oriented at the language itself. My philosophy is to get new folks started with the best info currently available. Most people who dabble in javascript get confused and frustrated because they don't have a foundational understanding of the language itself. Do a search on Twitter for 'javascript' and you'll see this demonstrated every couple of minutes. Remember, DOM API's are not javascript. They are simply program-level API's that make browser features available to the language.
csomar 18y ago
If they start with Jquery this would be better. JavaScript sucks, it's hard and annoying to code it, but if you have the Jquery (or prototype) framework, you can accelerate their learning and also increase productivity. There's also books and a lot of tutorials on the web about Jquery. Try jquery.com or google it
- geuis 18y ago
  Javascript as a language doesn't suck. For people that have no background in the language itself and have only learned via messing with DOM api's, it can be confusing because there are different implementations of those DOM api's. The language itself is quite flexible, and its underpinnings are different(prototypal) versus class-basesd.
  - csomar 18y ago
    Sure Javascript doesn't sucks, but i'm not talking about the language, I'm talking about Browser Compatibility. browsers (especially IE) sucks, and javascript works on browsers...
brianto2010 18y ago
http://www.javascriptmall.com/learn/contents.htm http://www.javascriptmall.com/learn/contents.htm

5 points by icey 18y ago

ph0rque 18y ago

Can't recommend enough this resource: http://eloquentjavascript.net/ http://eloquentjavascript.net/ It's a little lacking in some of the details, but that's what the follow-on resources are for.

icey 18y ago
This looks pretty decent; I'll send it on, thanks!

geuis 18y ago

Javascript, the good parts by Douglas Crockford. Seriously, your guys need to learn the fundamentals of JS before diving into dealing with the various DOM api's. Then use jQuery for all your code. It will make your guys better developers and make them happier

icey 18y ago
I was under the impression that JavaScript: The Good Parts was directed more at people who are currently developers. Was I mistaken? They are just making the logical progression from doing straight HTML to doing HTML & Javascript.
- geuis 18y ago
  That book is oriented at the language itself. My philosophy is to get new folks started with the best info currently available. Most people who dabble in javascript get confused and frustrated because they don't have a foundational understanding of the language itself. Do a search on Twitter for 'javascript' and you'll see this demonstrated every couple of minutes. Remember, DOM API's are not javascript. They are simply program-level API's that make browser features available to the language.

csomar 18y ago

If they start with Jquery this would be better. JavaScript sucks, it's hard and annoying to code it, but if you have the Jquery (or prototype) framework, you can accelerate their learning and also increase productivity. There's also books and a lot of tutorials on the web about Jquery. Try jquery.com or google it

geuis 18y ago
Javascript as a language doesn't suck. For people that have no background in the language itself and have only learned via messing with DOM api's, it can be confusing because there are different implementations of those DOM api's. The language itself is quite flexible, and its underpinnings are different(prototypal) versus class-basesd.
- csomar 18y ago
  Sure Javascript doesn't sucks, but i'm not talking about the language, I'm talking about Browser Compatibility. browsers (especially IE) sucks, and javascript works on browsers...

brianto2010 18y ago

http://www.javascriptmall.com/learn/contents.htm http://www.javascriptmall.com/learn/contents.htm