Posts

Why did I choose to learn C?

I envisage being a polyglot programmer in a couple of years down the line, i.e, I want to know and be able to use multiple programming languages. C is the first human readable programming language and most people -online and IRL- recommended learning that language before moving on to C++, JAVA, Python, etc. Further, C was familiar territory for me since I had taken an introductory course during my undergrads. I started learning C formally at Aptech education in Malleswaram, Bangalore mid-November (2017) with the support of the wonderful people there. Todd Gentile, curriculum director for developer content at pluralsight shares his nuanced insight into why every programmer should learn C  and the advantages of learning C before moving on to other languages.

From biology to coding

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If you are a biologist who has had little programming or modelling experience, and are intending to learn to code, it may feel like this:  Here are a two big questions that may be on your mind:  1. How much mathematics do I need?  Apart from basic arithmetic (+,-,*,/,%) and logic(AND, OR, NOT), you do not need more mathematics to begin to learn coding.  2. How much computer science theory do I need?  Apart from a little general knowledge about computers and the internet, you do not need anything else. Most introductory books on programming contain a chapter on all that you need to know.  If you are an experimental biologist considering transition to purely "dry lab" work, then, feel free to post any questions you have as a comment.  If you transitioned successfully from experimental biology to bioinformatics or computational biology, please share your two cents as a comment. 

Introductory Post

Hi I'm a biologist. I am learning to code with C. I write this blog to chronicle my journey and hope it will be useful to others who embark on a similar journey. Warm regards M