What do I ideally need to get started?

[shlomo80]

I downloaded the WP Dev tool but didn't do anything with it as I didn't really know where to start. I'm pretty aimless usually but once I get a grip on something I get good fast - it's just that Phone dev is somewhere I've been nebulously interested in, but never got around do because I didn't commit to it.

What are the ideal tools and training resources to get started? I have a few things I want to do, and when I get good enough I want to participate in some of the app challenges.

Not exactly lacking for money, so I don't mind paying for the best tools / resources to get started.

 

[gsquared]

Answer always = Chicks, no matter the question.

 

[shlomo80]

No-one? Not a place for devs then?

 

[a5cent]

There are a quite a few developers here. It's just not a simple question to answer. If you think you can read a 50 page manual and be set then you are seriously underestimating the task ahead of you.

A similar question was asked here. You may want to look at that.

I'm of the opinion that for anyone who is serious, a stack of books is the best option. Selecting the right books is the difficult part.

This is what I recommend:

1 book that teaches the absolute basics of object oriented programming using C#.

This book shouldn't focus on using Visual Studio (that you can learn from articles on the web or videos). It should completely ignore windows and windows phone programming. It shouldn't delve into the .NET framework base class libraries. What you are looking for is something that teaches object oriented programming and explains the contents of the C# language specification in a way that is accessible for beginners.

1 or 2 more advanced books that teach you not just how to use C# but how use it well and correctly.

Examples would be books like this or this.

1 book that teaches you how to use C# to develop windows phone apps.

Make this choice based on the type of app you intend to develop. Developing a game is quite different from developing a normal app. For the former you are likely to require a book or two more, but you'll be able to make that decision when you get there.

 

[sinime]

Yeah, start with one of the free books, before investing in paid books... Free ebook: Programming Windows Phone 7, by Charles Petzold - Microsoft Press - Site Home - MSDN Blogs <- targets WP7, but most of it applies directly to 8 as well.

Also, check out Windows Developer Show | A weekly podcast exclusively for Microsoft developers and enthusiasts <- they have a nice podcast for developers.

And lastly, go here: DVLUP - Welcome <- I think you can sign up without being a registered developer... You could possibly do some quizes and get a free WP developer token, but again, I'm not sure if you have to be a registered WP developer to sign up.

 

[a5cent]

Yeah, start with one of the free books, before investing in paid books

Getting the right book is far more important than getting a free book. The $60 is nothing compared to the time wasted and frustrations caused by reading through unsuitable material. Of course, if you can find the right book for free, then that is a no brainer ;-)

 

[shlomo80]

Getting the right book is far more important than getting a free book. The $60 is nothing compared to the time wasted and frustrations caused by reading through unsuitable material. Of course, if you can find the right book for free, then that is a no brainer ;-)

So which are the right books? What are the best resources? In all honesty I'm not really that interested in 'foundation learning' that you set out and the poster a couple of posts above sounds more like a theorist than a dorist (no offence, sorry ) and I just want to get in there and start doing stuff while I learn. I really don't care if it's $60, $600 or even $6,000 (though I would draw the line at $60K, at least until I'm more serious about it) for the best way for a rank beginner to fast-track development for Windows Phone 8.

 

[a5cent]

So which are the right books? What are the best resources? In all honesty I'm not really that interested in 'foundation learning' that you set out and the poster a couple of posts above sounds more like a theorist than a dorist (no offence, sorry ).

I am that supposed "theoretician" ;-)

I gave you two book recommendations. Unfortunately, I can't recommend any beginners books as I haven't looked at one in over 15 years, but I did try and tell you what to look for. With just a bit of effort you should be able to find something yourself.

Apparently you hope to skip acquiring a solid foundation. You are welcome to try, but as computer programming happens to involve a lot of theory, you are pretty much guaranteed to fail with that approach. Computer programming isn't like learning to ride a bike. I've taught computer programming courses at various skill levels, so I'm not exactly new to this topic.

 

[crash1989]

There is a dedicated Channel for Microsoft called Channel9, there is a windows phone 8 jumpstart series. It has a series of videos which cover everything from the basics and you can get the sample from Windows Phone Samples
I was able to understand the concepts very easily and I am not a brainiac. The only thing is to practice, as everyone says . (Dont mind their bad jokes)
Here is the link for the series Building Apps for Windows Phone 8 Jump Start | Channel 9
In case you are interested in building apps for both windows 8 and windows phone 8 there is a separate series for that too.

 

[sinime]

Was just thinking about using a free book to get your feet wet first. I used that free one and purchased a few weeks later. While I like having a book to reference, Bing searches work well for my reference needs.

 

[Salvador Molina Molina]

C# and 4.5 Framework, C# step by step, C# 4.0 unleashed, all good books, once you get the basics start looking through MSDN Library for more information, try YouTube as well a lot of helpfull tutorials for beginers...

 

[a5cent]

While I like having a book to reference, Bing searches work well for my reference needs.

Yeah. Reference material is completely covered by the web. Agree. Additionally, books that are intended to be used as reference material outdate so fast that I don't see how to justify their purchasing price.

IMHO, learning efficiency is greatly improved by using materials that are well organized and well paced. That is where I see the main advantage of books (that are intended to be read from cover to cover and not just as a reference source) over online resources which tend to be a thrown together collection of tutorials on various subjects. Online tutorials certainly also have their uses, but IMHO mainly as supplemental material to a book.

 

[shlomo80]

There is a dedicated Channel for Microsoft called Channel9, there is a windows phone 8 jumpstart series. It has a series of videos which cover everything from the basics and you can get the sample from Windows Phone Samples
I was able to understand the concepts very easily and I am not a brainiac. The only thing is to practice, as everyone says . (Dont mind their bad jokes)
Here is the link for the series Building Apps for Windows Phone 8 Jump Start | Channel 9
In case you are interested in building apps for both windows 8 and windows phone 8 there is a separate series for that too.

Thanks - will have a look. What dev tools would be the best to get started with (again for quickest results)?

 

[shlomo80]

Was just thinking about using a free book to get your feet wet first. I used that free one and purchased a few weeks later. While I like having a book to reference, Bing searches work well for my reference needs.

Well - barring any major mishaps I'm pretty committed to doing something with the WP8 platform.
So rather than 'no risk introductions' I'd rather get started with 'best fast track'.

 

[sinime]

Sweet! But do check out www.dvlup.com Nokia is awesome for giving developers support/incentive/a little push