What do people make of the open frameworks and that project generator?

[devonrevenge]

Im doing a c++ module at uni;

I was supposed to do Java instead of c++, this is because games programming has a c++ course and computer science thinks that Java is adequate for teaching computer science.

however I got to choose, the annoying this is though that they are teaching with OpenFrameworks and using the project generator to teach and accept coursework in, I can use other libraries but I have to ask first, I imagine they cant be too simple.

I cant place my annoyances, surley games programmers shuld be learning java if they are going to be coding in unity? because its like c#, or c# of course, but that would be too obvious.

in my comp sci classes they are teaching linked lists with java! kinda dumb and slow but I dont know why im annoyed and while im lucky enough to know the subjects they are teaching allready im still a beginner in many ways.

So what you think of OpenFrameworks, I feel like its taking the programming away.

And should I do coursework in SFML and c++11 for graphics and sockets instead or am I being an impractical purist?

Ima gonna make Bomberman and maybe online multiplayer, I will share it online when im done :D

[helios]

What does choosing one language rather than another have to do with being a purist?

[devonrevenge]

open frameworks is c++; as is something like sfml.

Project generator is like what processing is to Java.

Im not sure whats annoying about most of my work being done for me, I guess I may as well as
stuck with Java, but if a care then that makes me one of those purist fools because it shouldn't matter.

So why did I even choose C++ over Java in the first place?

Im just asking you what you think about openframeworks maybe to discover what it is that's bothering me.

[LB]

Could you link to the website for this "project generator" thing? It has such a generic name that the Google results are no good.

openFrameworks looks like its target audience is artists, not programmers.

[wizebin]

Never heard of openFrameWorks either, but don't worry about the language you use (well, unless they want to teach you like ... vb6 or something) the concepts you learn and the ability to reason through problems to find solid solutions will give you a solid foundation to use any language. However, choose the one you like- I've seen tons of programmers quit because (they felt) the language they were learning was sub-par.

[z05DSL3A]

Could you link to the website for this "project generator" thing?

http://www.openframeworks.cc/tutorials/introduction/002_projectGenerator.html

[LB]

Ah, so it's a much more limited CMake with a better GUI.

[devonrevenge]

So what are your thoughts on learning on this level?

You can start a project by writing in between the pre-defined functions brackets like draw, setup, mouse detect or key detect etc, so most of the stuff that everyone will use doesnt wind up being pre-made.

Is every programming language going to be either for artists or drones?

I want to program intelligent and emotional neural network apps for NASA but I feel like i a lemon.

[LB]

What are you even talking about? I think you're getting way ahead of yourself.

devonrevenge wrote:

So what are your thoughts on learning on this level?

If most of the boilerplate is handled for you and you just get to focus on what matters, I think it's a great way to learn.

devonrevenge wrote:

You can start a project by writing in between the pre-defined functions brackets like draw, setup, mouse detect or key detect etc, so most of the stuff that everyone will use doesnt wind up being pre-made.

Um, ok? That's what boilerplate is and generally people don't like having to write it themselves.

devonrevenge wrote:

Is every programming language going to be either for artists or drones?

Where did this come from!? Of course the answer is no. Don't think about things that way.

devonrevenge wrote:

I want to program intelligent and emotional neural network apps for NASA but I feel like i a lemon.

???

[E0p9LyTq]

devonrevenge wrote:

So what you think of OpenFrameworks, I feel like its taking the programming away.

IMO. A framework is neither good nor bad, it all depends on what implementation details you want to hide, and how well the framework is designed and implemented.

I personally tried to learn C++ programming using frameworks and found it confusing and frustrating. Once I dumped that approach and went to learning "straight" C++ things became much easier to grasp and understand. I am still learning. ;)

I personally feel it is better to learn the basics of programming first. With a decent grasp of a programming language's core features learning to leverage a framework is easier.

I wouldn't recommend this, or any other, framework to someone starting out learning programming. YMMV.

[devonrevenge]

I guess im annoyed that once I done the basics and even spent a lot of extra time studying out of interest that by year two the depth of what I was learning would extend to new more complex programming, instead im just learning how to use a boilerplate.

[E0p9LyTq]

A good programmer never stops learning, no matter how long they've been coding, a bad one does stop short of proficiency.

[LB]

Don't fall into a common trap: http://www.daedtech.com/how-developers-stop-learning-rise-of-the-expert-beginner

[E0p9LyTq]

@LB,

excellent read, thanks for sharing! :)

[devonrevenge]

Moved on to SFML, but my c++ is pretty didgy, Iether I knew none or its all gone outta my brainbox.

[devonrevenge]

That was a good read LB, but Iwould never assume I would know anything, I know that the way the UNI teaches is better than what I know hence still being at uni however I think I was right about openframeworks,

I was told that they are teaching it to games programmers because tehy have a pth for them, but they thought SFML was a little better for me just because some of the c++ itself isn't handled for me.