• Question: how do you make computers do what you want them to do ?

    Asked by fernbonnie123 to Ben on 20 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Ben Smart

      Ben Smart answered on 20 Mar 2012:


      I create computer programs, and I can make the computer programs do whatever I want.
      To make a computer program you just have to write text (called code) in a special language (a computer programming language, such as ‘Java’ or ‘C++’), and then you can turn that text into a computer program. In your text you can tell the computer program exactly what to do.
      So by thinking carefully about what text to write, I can make any computer program I want. I then use these computer programs to make computers do whatever I want. It’s actually a lot of fun!

      Anyone can learn to make computer programs. If you’d like to learn, there are lots of things on the internet that you can use to teach yourself, and if you ask a computing teacher in your school they might be able to help you too.
      I just had a quick search online, and found this list of websites for learning to program (make computer programs):
      http://codingforkids.org/wiki/Learning_resources_and_blogs_etc#Online_programming_resources
      I’ve no idea how good all those websites in that list are, so you’ll just have to find out for yourself 🙂
      Don’t be afraid to search around for information either. It wont all make sense at first, but you’ll quickly learn 🙂

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