What I want to do with this blog

When I fist got a computer I wanted to be a programmer and make games. So that is what I want to do. The games probably wont be good but, games I will make. I don't know how many I will make but, I want to make at least one.

Today I will start on a game called computermayhem. I saw a piece on a television show about a place in japan where you can go and throw plates at a wall or something to relieve stress or something like that so I thought why not do that with a computer. Since I often hate my computer I thought why not do that with a computer. It will be a text based game at first and hopefully I will be able to turn it into a 2d or 3d game. But, I don't know how to make anthing more than a text based game now.

Its been a will since I posted

And judging by my blog traffic I am sure no one was to upset about that. SO what am I going to write about I will tell you.

I have decided I want to see if I can make computer games or well anything. So with that in mind I have decided that there are a few programming languages I want to try. I want to use python, go, and pharo and why not throw in lua because I have always want to make something with the love framework. That probably to much for me to learn but, I will write it as something I want to do and if I don't get all that done, it does not matter that much. I would not be the end of the world to me.

Hurrah Hurrah It was about two days ago that I finally uploaded a few lines of code to my remote repository on git. I just wanted to see if I could do it and after one try and then another I got the upload to work. So now I want to start writing programs so I can have a bunch of repositories. Heck its been eight years that I have tried to program. I need to make of for lost time. All that time I have not written a single program.

Genetic programming sounds fun

Today I found a book on genetic programming. I don't ever remember hearing about genetic programming before. I suppose I am looking for something to make besides games which I am not that interested in making anymore. But that is the idea I have had in my head that I want to programming computer games. But, lately I have thought I don't even like playing computer games much or maybe more accurately I don't have much interest in making my own computer games.

What else do I want to write about. I think I might at least be programming something if I just start writing programs. Its like entering sweepstakes I could read about entering sweepstakes but, I just have to start entering sweepstakes eventually. I want to write programs but, I don't write programs. I think writing programs is something I will do in the future when I know enough about programming to be able to write programs but, I have been wanting to program for years and if I had started writing my own small programs on the first day I started programs I would be a average programmer now but, instead I have written nothing and now its been years and I don't think I have anything to show for it.

So today I have to start writing programs even if they are bad. I figure the more programs I write the better I will get. And I also want to read a lot of code.

July 19

I am still reading the small talk book I have been reading for the past few weeks.

July 18

The only thing programming related yesterday was reading the smalltalk book I have been reading for the past two weeks or so.

July 17

I did the same thing yesterday as I did the day before that and the day before that which is read the smalltalk book I have been reading.

July 16

I read the smalltalk book I have been reading for the past probably two weeks, yesterday. Ohterwise I did nothing else programming related.

July 15

I read more of the smalltalk book I have been reading for the past week, yesterday.

July 14

I read some more of the smalltalk-80 book I have been reading yesterday.

July 13

More of the same yesterday. I read more of the smalltalk book I have been read otherwise nothing new to write about.

June 12

I read more of the smalltalk book I have been reading yesterday and looked up some of the methods and classes while I read about them in the book. Fun fun.

July 11

Yesterday I read more of the smalltalk book I have been reading and as I was reading the book since the book was talking about classes and methods in smalltalk I opened up pharo and looked at some of the methods and classes in pharo. Some day I am going to need to start making programs.

July 10

Yesterday I read more of whatever smalltalk book I have been reading for the past week or so. I can't remember the name but, I do remember that it still the same book. I am now on the second part. No one ever said I was a fast reader. I hope to do some programming today.

June 9

I read more of the smalltalk book I have been reading yesterday. That is all I did that was programming related. And I also went to the haskell and Erlang websites thinking I would like to try one of those programming languages because as you know I have mastered several other programming languages. I am just kidding about having masted several other programming languages. he he.

July 8

I am still reading the smalltalk book I have been reading for the past few days and will be for sometime to come but, I need to start programming instead of just reading

July 7

I read more of the smalltalk book that I have been reading for the past few days. Other than that nothing new.

July 6

I read more of the smalltalk book that I have been reading the past few days yesterday. Other than that nothing else programming related.

July 5

Yesterday I read the same book I read the day before and the day before that. I did not do anything else programming related yesterday.

July 4

Yesterday all I did was read the smalltalk book I downloaded the other day. At least I am reading about a programming language even if I am not doing any actual programming.

July 3

Yesterday I just looked around at some of the classes in the pharo image, thinking how will I ever make my own programs. I also download Smallltalk 80: The Language and its Implementation by Adele Goldbergh and David Robinson from Stef's free online smalltalk books. I hope to download and read all the books on the website.

July 2

Yesterday I read a little about Gui's in the pharo collaborative book. Leaning how to make a gui with pharo is fun though I think it might take me a lot of practice. I will practice practice practice.

I think the only other programming language that I have learned to make a gui with is Java and that was a long time ago. That I don't remember how to make a Gui with java anymore.

July 1

I think its called the collaborative pharo book that I look at a little yesterday. I had activated Halo in my pharo image but, could not get the Halo to come up when my mouse pointer was over a menu. I could not get Halo's to come up over a running program so my image was littered with a lot of programs. Then while looking at the table of contents of the book I saw a page on halo's so I clicked on the like and saw that I needed to use Shift-Alt-click to bring up a halo so I tried it in my smalltalk image and it worked so I could close down all the running programs in my image. Now my image is clean which makes me feel better.

Yesterday I also read a little more of how to design programs. I had not read that book for a long while and I want to start reading it again so I can finish it and know better how to design my own programs.

June 30

Yesterday I finished reading pharo by example. I did not try all the examples in the last shapers but, I just wanted to finish reading the book so I could start reading another book about smalltalk. I can always go back and type in the examples later.

June 29

I finished reading the chapter on Morphic in Pharo by example. Then I read some of the chapter on seaside which I am almost finished with. I did not do any of the seaside examples since I don't have an image with seaside in it.

I just want to start writing my own programs. I am tried of reading programming books and only doing the examples. I want to bust loose and make my own programs.

June 28

I read the chaper on morphs in the pharo by example book, but, I did not finsih the chapter. Oh, well I will get it done today. While reading the chapter I thought this is going to take a long time to learn how to make my own programs but, I have got to try. After all if I had tried this hard 7+ years ago I would be a computer programming by now with 7 years of experience. The more I program or read about programming I hope the better I will undeerstand it.

June 27

Yesterday I read more of pharo by example. I read most of the chaper on streams. I thought that this was the furtherest I had read in the book at least pharo by example anyway. I think I read through the hole of squeak by example. But, as I was saying about pharo by example I think I might have read the entire book before but, I can't remember.

I started the chapter on morph's yesterday and hope to finish reading it today.

Today I thought about another thing I would like to program. And that is make games for Stella the Atari 2600 emulator. So I will add that to the list of things I want to do which will probably never get done. Or who know I might surprise myself and actually accomplish something. Stranger things have happened.

My programming Plans

I think I have finally figured out what I want to do and its about time too. I have wanted to learn smalltalk since I read about it in Parc: Dealers of lightning but, have put it off until I learn some other programming language. Well I have not make anything in any other programming language so I might as well learn Pharo if that is what I want to learn as that hopefully will keep me interested enough to make some programs.

So with that in mind about 2 weeks ago or so I started reading Pharo by example. I wanted to wait until Pharo by example 2 was out until I started to learn the language but, the first pharo by example will work work.

At this point I just want to stick with a programming language and see if I can make programs or not. Its time for me to see what I can do. Put up or shut up time. I have dreamed about making programs so I need to start making programs.

I also want to learn how to use python so that I can use it with blender. But, I want small talk to be the programming language my primary programming language that I make programs with. I don't know that I need to think that way but, that is what I want to do.

I would also like to update this blog everyday but, I not sure if it would be that exciting writing today I read more of pharo by example. I suppose what does it matter its not like I have readers to bore so if I want to update everyday why not update everyday. Its my blog after all and if I think its ok for it to be boring let it be boring.

I also hope to make a website with a samlltalk webframework. I also want to put up a website with php, javascrip, and html.

These are my programming plans that I am sure will change in a web but, its the way I think now.

boring post

Other programming languages I hope to learn how to make things with are pharo and ruby, php, javascrip. I want to use ruby so I can see what make a web site with rails is like and I also want to make gui apps with ruby shoes. I also want to make a web site with php.

I would also like to use pharo so because I am a big fan of smalltalk and I would not mind making a web app with seaside.

I want to make games using python

As I said yesterday I want to try to see if I can make computer games. I want to make game using python an Pygame. I also think it would be fun to use Lua and with Love. I think it would be very exciting to make games. I just want to see if I enjoy making games. Maybe it would be better to start with something easier than video games but, making video games are the reason I wanted to program so that is my goal.

What type of programs I want to make

All those programming languages and what good has it done me if I can't make anything useful. Sure I do like to learn about programming languages. The history of each one. Who were the people who created it any why did they create it but, I also want to see if I can make programs for my computer.

I wonder a lot if its worth it to learn how to program. And I came to the conclusion that it is worth it to learn how to program a computer. Because then I will know if I enjoy programming and won't have to keep asking myself I wonder if I might like programming or could I have been a programmer. If I try as hard as I can and I don't like it or I fail. Then I can say I gave it everything I had to give it and move on to another hobby I might like better.

So what do I want to make. I want to make computer games and put up a website so that is what I work hard on and hopefully I will get it done.

My first steps in programming

I don't remember the first website I ever went to on the internet. I do remember the feel of going online for the first time. It was amazing. I was so excited to be on the internet. Yes, it was a great feeling. I don't know how long that feeling of excitment about being on the internet continued. I do know that the excited feeling has disappeared and now I wonder where it went of if it will ever reappear.

I knew one thing when I got online an that is I wanted to program. At that time I had no idea that their were free compilers. I thought they all cost money. Then day I read about Cygwin's C++ compiler and decided I wanted to install it on my computer. Actually it was a c/c++ compiler. I was so excited. It was a huge download and so I had to leave my computer on all night. I got up during the night to check on the download. I think it got done at 9:00am in the morning. I was anxious to see if it installed and sure enough it did. Unfortunately I never did make a program with the compiler. A cool thing about Cygwin c/C++ was that it had vi as the text editor. I thought that was great thought I could not figure out how to write a programing using vi or save a program to my hard drive. I would have been fun had I figured out how to use the compiler I am sure.

So I had to get another compiler so I could program and I got one borland's bcc55 I think it was called. One thing I remember was that I had to add the bin to my path and I erased all the paths that were in my path environmental variable and added the compiler. Later I read that erasing the path's in your path environmental variable might make your system unstable but, I did not seem to have any problems with windows.

I probably read one or two c++ or c tutorials and that was about it thought I found c and c++ fun.

I don't remember the exact order that I tried other programming languages. I have tried: php, perl, python, abc, open object rexx. You name it I want to programing with it. I have never made it very far with any of the programming languages that I have tried. A tutorial or 2 probably. I start off excited then I get bored and want to move on to anther programming language. What is the point of that the whole reason for learning a programming language is to make programs. I seem to like dabbling in program and not making any real program or progress. And often I am not sure that I want to make a program or use my computer. Though who know I can always decide to buckle down and make a program or I can keep wanted to make programs for the rest of my life without making a program. It does not matter to anyone else but, myself. No one says I have to learn how to program a computer. But, I can if I want to. Or if I don't want to I can give up and do something else.

My fist steps in computing

I want to start off writing about how I got interested in programming. The fist time I heard about a programming language was on the computer chronicles with Stewart Cheifet. Stewart had a man on the show who was talking about a program that would teach a person how to program computer games in C++.

At that time I had no idea how to use a computer except how to use a word processing program that I learned how to use in a typing class. I did not even know what the internet was or had ever surfed the web.

In fact abut 3 years before that I saw a video about the internet and I did not understand the video all, I had no clue what the internet was.

By the time I watched the computer chronicles show I think I had a better idea of what the internet was even though as I said I had never been on the web. I thought while watching the show I someday I have got to learn how to write video games. But, I thought that there was probably no way I could understand how to program because like the internet at that time I had never seen a line of computer source code. So I thought that programming was so hard that I could never understand how to make games. All I knew was that I wanted to try.

Then probably the same year I got a book on html. Why did I get a book on html when I did not have a computer?

Actually I think I got a book the was an introduction to programming before I got the book on html. The programming book is called Absolute Beginner's Guide to programming, Second Edition by Greg Perry. I enjoyed reading the book and I think I understood everything except maybe Java. After reading the book I thought that programming was something I could do.

The I got the book on Html called HTML by Example. Which was a book about how to create websites using html 4.0. Putting up websites did not look that hard.

Next I got a book on C++ called Sams Teach yourself C++ in 21 Days written by Jesse Liberty. I probably read some chapters of the book before I got my computer. IF I read the book I probably understood something. At this point I did not know what the start menu or desktop were. That all changed with the next book I got.

I read The complete Idiot's guide to PCS, seventh Edition written by Joe Kraynak. I know I read this book. After reading the book I understood about the start menu, desktop, chekdisk or was it scandisk, disk defragmenting. Now I knew enough to use a computer. I also read most of and edition of Upgrading and repairing PCS. It was Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Fifth Edition written by Scott Mueller. I really enjoyed reading about computer hardware; processors, CD Rom drives, monitors, ISA, PCI, how to put in new cards, sound cards, video cards, plug and play, A fun book.

I tried to remember the order I got the books but, I probably remember wrong. The order does not matter. The point is that by the time I got my first computer I new enough about computers to be able to use it on my own without having to call someone up to help me with computer problems. When I got a computer I was so excited.

My dreams for this blog

Its no secret I like to program or more precisely I like computer programming languages. I want to make games but, have yet to make anything of value. I keep going from programming language to programming language until recently. No I think I am more focused on actually wanting to make a program but, I still have not make that illusive program.

I want to make computer games with python, lua, and pharo. I also want to learn how to create websites. So I hope to write about those things on my blog. I don't think my posts will be exciting but, write I will.

AcAce I made

This a render of an AcAce that I made. It could be a lot better but, it does look like a car. I don't know how long it took me to make though it probably took me awhile.

AcCobra I made

The Renders are of an AcCobra. 1966 I think. This is the second car that I got finished. I don't think it looks so great but, it is oh well. I don't remember much about making it. I am sure I did enjoy making it though.

Look at the Camero I made

The above is a render of the fist 3d car I made. Its not complete but, its close enough for me. It probably took me 2 or 3 weeks to make. And it could be smoother. It does look like a car though.

Assembly Language

Besides Python and Pharo. I find Assembly language fascinating. I have only use HLA but, I did install sever assembly language on my computer. I have read most of The Art of Assembly language programming but, never finished the book.

I like with assembly language learning about the processor it just seems so fun using the machine instructions. I have never made anything with assembly language. I probably never will either. Its just fun to fool around with. Maybe someday.

pharo

Another programming language that I want to make programs with besides python is Pharo. The first time I heard about small talk was in a book about PARC called Dealers of Lightning. I thought wow, the name sounds cool. I was not sure that smalltalk was in use anymore. I look it up on the internet and found squeak. I installed squeak on my computer. Later I read squeak by example but, I never made anything on my own using squeak.

Then about 2 years ago I saw a post about pharo on hacker news and thought I would give it a try. I read Pharo by example and as with squeak have not made any programs of/on my own. I don't know if I will ever make any programs with pharo though I hope to make a few and upload them to squeak source. Probably won't happen. Sniff sniff.

ZaZ 965 cuteness

Here are renders of a zaz 965 unfinished model I made using blender. I could finish it but, I don't want to because the mesh looks bad. There are a lot of triangles in the mesh instead of quads. The ZaZ 965 is a cut little car and I hope I can make a better model of it than the model I have made in the renders. Which is why I am making another model of  the Zaz. Model on.

If I make video games what kind will I make

If I get good enough to make games I want to make sports games. When I played video games a lot the type of game I enjoyed the most were sports video games. Probably because I was not good at any other type of video games so i played sports video games.

I have this sports encyclopedia and I got the idea to make a game of every sport in that book, probably to ambitious, I will be lucky if I can ever make one sports video game let alone hundreds. Its a goal to shoot for though. So I will see what if anything I can get done over the next year.

The Aha Moment or not

So a good idea I think would be for me to try to learn how to program and how to make computer graphics. I have wanted to program since long before I ever got a computer. So why not learn to program. I am not as excited to make programs as I was 2 or 3 years ago but, its would be a challenge. As for computer graphics I have wanted to make them since I heard about blender.

For programming I want to learn python. I have tried many languages and never learned any of them so I need to pick one and stick with it I think so I choose python. I think I want to make computer games. But learning how to program anything with python would be fine.

For computer graphics I want to make cars. I would like to learn how to make everything but, I particularly want to learn how to make cars.

Today is when I came up with the idea to give myself a year to learn about programming and 3d graphics because those are the things I have wanted to learn and I am not getting any younger so now is the time to just go for.

My prediction as to what will happen is that in a week I will get tired of my blog and my dreams an give up and dream about making programs and models for the rest of my life but never make anything, just say oh, next year I will learn until there is no next year. I hope I am wrong about my prediction.

Deep Thoughts for today and maybe tomorrow also

Why am I starting a blog? To get more sweepstakes entries and write about myself. Its interesting that I am embarrassed to talk about myself but, write about myself, no shame at all.  The keyboard makes me bold and outgoing. The power of the keyboard. I like programming and blender so those are two things I want to write about on this blog. I am terrible at make 3d models and programming in case you are curious.

I have tried blogging a few times before but, have always quite. When I started my first blog I though oh, sure I will be a good blogger but, was not a good blogger and will never be a good blogger but, that is ok. I don't want to be a celebrity blogger anymore. Its alright with me if no one reads what I write.

With this blog I want to challenge myself to see how long I can keep blogging without quitting. I want to see how many posts I can write in one year. So how many posts will I write between now and January 16, 2013?  Stay Tuned.