If you're looking for help on learning how to program, visit coderguide.com. That website contains (or will) information on how to write your own computer programs
Like most things on this site, this area is incomplete. If you're want to earn the Computers merit badge, learning a programming language will help you complete one of the requirements (there is an alternate requirement to learning a programming language). Learning a programming language also enables you to use the full power of your computer-- the more you learn, the more you can use and do with your computing power. It's also just cool :-D.
Here are a few documents that will help you with the Computers Merit Badge. These pages will be updated frequently until mid-August 2005. So, if you've visited this page before, hit the "refresh" button on your browser to load the latest version.
- C Crash Course--
A crash course that will teach you the basics of writing programs
in C. Writing a program in a general purpose programming language
is one of the requirements for the Computers merit badge. This is a
new version moved to
www.coderguide.com.
Learning C will provide you with a foundation for learning other programming languages based on the C language, such as: C++, and Java. It is also much easier to learn that the other two.
- OpenOffice/NeoOffice Mail Merge Tutorial -- Tells you how to perform a mail merge in OpenOffice and NeoOffice (Mac Cocoa version of OpenOffice). This is also one of the requirements for the Computers merit badge.
- Computers Merit Badge Worksheet -- A worksheet to help you test yourself on the Computers Merit Badge requirements. insanescouter.com has many more merit badge worksheets for download. Worksheets are only to help you learn the subject, but remember: your counselor will still ask you questions on the material regardless of what is on your worksheet.
- Internet Safety Guidelines for Youth and Adults
If you're using Windows, you'll want to download and install MinGW and MSYS-- a free C/C++ compiler for windows. Information on installing MinGW and MSYS can be found here. Not-so-great instructions can be found on the MinGW website.
If you would like a CD with all the software you'll need to complete the Computers merit badge (with the exception of an operating system) for Mac OS X, and Microsoft Window, I'd be happy to send you one for $4 to cover the cost of the CD, shipping and disk mailer. email me for more information.
The CD contains OpenOffice (Mac and PC), NeoOffice (Mac), Java (for Windows, Mac, and Linux), MinGW and MSYS (a C/C++ compiler for Windows), Firefox web browser (Windows & Mac) and many other programs. OpenOffice is a Microsoft Office compatible office suite licensed under the General Public License (GPL) and thus is free.
This is the same CD I give out at the Merit Badge Midway, and is packed with over 600MB of software. If you were to download the software for just your system on it would take several hours on DSL, and many days on dial-up.