Today, I'm something of an unofficial computer geek. I can pretty much learn any graphics, word processing or utilities program on fly, and I even surprise myself with html tricks from time to time. Now for good news: so can you. "No, I can't!" you say. YES, you CAN.

Today's kids are little tech-heads. Ever seen a four-year-old grab mouse and start web-surfing like it was nothing? It happens all time. By age fifteen, kids are designing websites and manipulating photos like old pros. How can this be? Do they grow them smarter these days?

Well, I know some parents who'll tell you so, but truth is, today's computer programs are designed so that average untrained human being can learn them quickly and apply them in myriad ways. We call them Applications because they're meant to be applied for practical use to enhance our quality of living.

I mentioned MS-DOS in my intro. For most part, today's user doesn't need to know a thing about MS-DOS. The reason? Modern computers run on operating systems, such as Windows for PC and OS for Mac. The operating system covers up all that wacky-looking MS-DOS code with windows and buttons that practically beg us out loud, "CLICK ME!" And click them we do.

Just like operating system, most programs use what's called an interface: that shell or skin that hides code, and allows you to navigate and manipulate using simple clicks and commands. This interface is what enables us to just stroll on over and start making things happen on computer without knowing a darned thing about programming or codes or much of anything.

It's these windows that we can open and shut, buttons we can click, and menus we can pull down using our trusty mouse, that let us accomplish tasks of great magnitude in record time, using these powerful machines. We can do some pretty incredible things just by POINTING AND CLICKING. If you think about this long enough, it might blow your mind.

Point and click. That's basic concept of using mouse, and it's such a simple method that 3-year-olds take to it with ease. SEE IT, GRAB IT. This is how today's computers work, in a nutshell. With this concept in mind, computer programmers did a beautiful thing for all of us humble users: they were kind enough to develop a standard method of navigating through most programs.

Learning how to program software seems like a daunting task fit only for geeks and nerds who lock themselves away in dark rooms staring at their monitors for days on end as they pour over thick manuals written largely in zeros and ones. Fortunately reality is that it’s not as complicated to make basic applications as people may think. If it were, majority of nerds wouldn’t be doing it because defining factor of our kind is an inherent laziness. Why do you think we like computers? The heaviest thing we have to lift is a monitor and that’s done fairly irregularly and for a very short period of time.

There are many different opinions on how you should start programming. Some advocate method of throwing yourself firmly into deep end and if you don’t drown then you’re set for life. These people usually recommend getting stuck straight into C or C++. Others recommend a slightly easier starting point such as Java or C#, still quite involved but with a few more safety nets built in. Then there is ‘kiddy pool’ school of thought that advocates such languages as Visual Basic. These languages are really easy to get started in. You drag a few elements onto a blank form and then write some code that reads largely like Standard English. All methods have their advantages, but I’m a fan of starting somewhere in middle with Java. My reasons for this are that Java enforces a certain amount of design and forethought as well as correct programming procedures that are somewhat absent from Visual Basic.

I can’t go into every single language in one article because it would take too long and only experience I have with languages outside of Microsoft stable is some familiarity with Java. Here are a few details about some languages.

Java Programming in Java is very similar to C/C++ development. It is object-oriented and well structured. There is wide usage of Java, and therefore there are a lot of libraries around that can be used in your Java program.

Pros: · Java is platform independent, it can be run on everything. · It’s free, you can just download SDK and go. · It’s easy to learn if you know C or C++. · It provides automatic memory management. · There are a large library of pre-built classes and many more available from around net. · It’s quite safe. It’s fairly hard (if not impossible) to damage your computer through programming in Java.

Cons: · Speed. Java is quite slow, because it is essentially compiled at run-time by system’s virtual machine. · It is difficult to compile into a stand-alone application. · Memory pointers are not allowed. · Some people dislike being forced into object oriented programming.

C C has been around for years and has a large following. Many different people around globe use it. A few other programming languages have also been written in C.

Pros: · Large usage base. Easy to find help, other programmers, libraries etc. · Simple core language, with further functionality being added through use of libraries. · Very powerful. If your computer can do it, it can do it through C. · Low-level unchecked access to computer memory using of pointers. · One of fasted running languages. · C code can be used in C++ applications. · Programs are compiled and stand alone, no need for interpreters (sometimes external libraries will need to be installed on target PC).