Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded Fourth Edition Overview An Introduction to Programming

Objectives After studying this overview, you should be able to: Define the terminology used in programming Explain the tasks performed by a programmer Describe the qualities of a good programmer Understand the employment opportunities for programmers and software engineers Understand how to use the chapters effectively Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded, Fourth Edition2

Programming a Computer Programming: giving a mechanism the directions to accomplish a task Programs: directions given to computers Programmers: people who write programs Programming languages: used to communicate with the computer This textbook uses the Visual Basic programming language Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded, Fourth Edition3

The Programmer’s Job Typical tasks performed by a programmer include: –Meet with users to determine the exact problem and to agree on the desired solution –Plan an appropriate solution and convert the solution to instructions that the computer can follow –Meet with users to determine whether the program fulfills the users’ needs –Rigorously test the program with sample data before releasing it to the user –Provide the user with a manual that explains how to use the program Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded, Fourth Edition4

Do I Have What It Takes to Be a Programmer? Programmers should be able to: –Think logically and pay attention to detail –Be patient and persistent and able to work under pressure –Be creative in designing solutions and testing them –Work in teams and interact directly with users and other nontechnical personnel Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded, Fourth Edition5

Employment Opportunities Job titles and descriptions vary Computer software engineers: typically are responsible for designing an appropriate solution to a problem Computer programmers: responsible for converting the solution into a language that the computer can understand Both are employed in almost every industry Coding: the process of translating the solution into a programming language Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded, Fourth Edition6

Summary (continued) All business people should know at least a little about the programming process The same person may perform the duties of both a software engineer and a programmer Microsoft Visual Basic 2010: Reloaded, Fourth Edition7