My First App

By now, I have completed 4 chapters from the Course Hero Intro to Programming course. While there is one more chapter to complete, I felt like I was not learning as much in the last chapters as I was the first few. At this point, I started to get impatient and focused on my task at hand again (making sweet iPhone apps), so I switched my plans once again. This time, I started watching the videos on Lynda.com from the series called iPhone SDK Essential Learning, by Simon Allardyce. While this series of videos was made in 2009 and there is a newer series out now, I had previously had a 30-day trial and downloaded this series during that time. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to get access to the most updated videos unless I pay up (which I may do eventually). Anyways, Simon Allardyce is an AWESOME TEACHER. He gives you enough information so you undertand just enough of what’s going on. At the same time, this series is not just about a language, it’s about how to make iPhone apps, from the ground up. JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!! I highly recommend this video series to anyone looking.

As for a progress update, I have completed the first 5 chapters of videos. As evidenced below, I have actually built a fully functional app! I’m so excited! Everything seems to be clicking right now, and more and more of this is making sense. I am starting to fully understand the capabilities, and I can’t wait to watch more of the videos to further my learning.

Without further adieu, here’s my FIRST APP!

I’d love to hear everyone’s feedback. I know it’s as basic as apps get, but I’m so happy it compiled at least đŸ˜‰

-Drew

2012
05/05
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Course Hero

So, after struggling with the code portion of the Stanford lectures so much, I decided it would be a good idea to scale back my learning and understand the basics first. Makes sense, right? To do so, I plan on getting a basic understanding of programming in general, then try and get a basic understanding of Objective-C. To get the basics of programming, I have started taking the Intro to Programming course on a site called Course Hero.

It’s actually been really great so far. I have completed three of the five chapters, and I feel like I am learning a lot and at a good pace. Basically, Course Hero pulls public content from sites like YouTube and structures it into a full class on different topics. There are quizzes and tests along the way to make sure you are getting the concepts. The Intro to Programming course teaches basic concepts by using the Python language. I’m not sure I’ll actually use Python in the future, as my end goal is to learn enough Objective-C to make apps, but it can’t hurt.

That’s all for now, just a quick update on progress.

-Drew

2012
05/02
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Getters and Setters?

Well, I finished watching the first two lectures of the Stanford iPhone series. To be honest, it could have been worse. I probably comprehended around 60% of what was said. Not too bad I suppose.

In the first lecture, I was able to understand everything until code was written. As for the second lecture, I was doing well until he started heavily getting into the code.

One thing in particular kept getting mentioned — getters and setters. Not really sure what those are, but they seem pretty important.

Problem areas: the Objective-C language itself and understanding how different things interact, using the model, viewer, and controller (MVC).

Next steps: Try to work on the homework to build an RPM calculator. I will most likely struggle heavily with this, but I learn better by doing than watching, so I am bound to learn a lot. Additionally, I might try and brush up on Objective-C using this video.

If anyone has any suggestions or help, please comment!

Thanks!

-Drew

2012
04/30
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Into the Abyss

Hi. My name is Drew. I have a dream. My dream is to create what I have in my head. To build what I imagine. I have taken business class after business class at my university. I have an understanding of how to “manage.” I can “think critically.” I can analyze HBR cases. Yet I can’t make what I think. I could work for a large company when I graduate. With a comfy income, job security, etc. But I keep being drawn to startups. They fascinate me. With startups, the sky’s the limit.

I have been writing down all of my ideas for products since last summer in Evernote, and the list is getting quite long. I have thought about actually going forward with my ideas, but one thing is holding me back. I don’t know how to code. (Most of my ideas are around apps or websites) I have been thinking about finding a technical co-founder to execute my ideas, but it seems kinda hard. I mean, I don’t know anyone that well that can write code, apart from my brother (he’s too busy anyways). In thinking about bringing on a technical co-founder, it has been very hard to even work up a way to approach it. They have all of the skills necessary to do anything, why would they tag me along for the ride and let me even get any equity? I wouldn’t do this if I were in their shoes. I would start something myself or take the huge salary Facebook or Google or Microsoft will pay me when I graduate. All I can offer is equity, no real money.

Then I came across this article in TechCrunch: Stop Looking for a Technical Co-Founder. I was inspired. I knew that the only way to approach this problem was to learn to code myself.

This blog will document my foray into the scary abyss that is programming. My only prior experience was a one-semester class in high school on Java. I remember pretty much zero from that.

My first goal is to build an iPhone app. After referencing this Y-Combinator article, I’ve decided my best route will be to watch the Stanford lectures.

This will be hard. Very hard. I don’t think like a programmer; I think like a marketer, a designer, a businessman. But I am excited for the challenge. I will undoubtedly run into many brick walls. I hope the online community will be there to support me.

Wish me luck. I will probably need it.

-Drew

2012
04/30
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