[geeks] Crackpot project, need some guidance

[Mouse]

>> 1. Ok.  What kind of computer?  Do you just want to emulate an
>> existing system or simulate something new?
> To start with, something really basic.  Starting with single math
> functions based on binary numbers.  Next the ability to store and
> retrieve from a block of 'memory'.  Then on to something more complex
> maybe...

Probably a good idea, especially given

>> 2. Do you already know any languages?
> PHP.  Not an ideal starting point but it'd make a cool web page :)

"First make it work.  Then make it better."  To put it another way,
"start small".  Don't bite off more than you can chew; you'll make a
lot more progress overall by taking small steps and learning gradually
than by getting over-ambitious and getting in way over your head.

> It'd be an interesting way to learn C/C++ or Python though too.  I
> want to pick up those at some time.

I do trust you know that C, C++, and Python are three almost totally
different languages?  (Well, except that C++ has a subset which is
almost but not quite identical with C.)  The way you phrase that makes
it sound as though you are thinking of them as equivalent somehow,
which is true only at the very highest level, the level at which pretty
much all programming languages are.

This list isn't really designed for help with programming, but I'm sure
you'd find plenty of people here ready to give you an off-list hand.
Provided you're writing in C, I'm one of them.

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