Working more efficiently in PHP

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  • Elizabeth Barnwell

    Working more efficiently in PHP

    This is a tool for learning the PHP programming language:


    You can look through the tabs to find information, and you can have
    the site quiz you to help you retain more of the language. Our
    developers have found this method useful, and are building YoYoBrain
    to help others learn prorgmming languages. Any feedback on the site
    and the flashcards is appreciated.

    Best,

    Elizabeth
  • Dale

    #2
    Re: Working more efficiently in PHP


    "Elizabeth Barnwell" <elizabethbarnw ell@gmail.comwr ote in message
    news:015bda28-5aea-41f3-b2f1-d580d7387dc4@w7 g2000hsa.google groups.com...
    This is a tool for learning the PHP programming language:

    >
    You can look through the tabs to find information, and you can have
    the site quiz you to help you retain more of the language. Our
    developers have found this method useful, and are building YoYoBrain
    to help others learn prorgmming languages. Any feedback on the site
    and the flashcards is appreciated.
    ask questions that are good questions, and then answer them correctly. ex.,

    'special tags that tell apache that php should execute code' paraphrased.

    first, you assume php is being run on apache. second, your answer: '<? ?>'
    paraphrased, is wrong on several counts:

    apache (whatever web server) can run php in a couple of modes, however
    afaicr, it passes requests of for php to process in masse, not line by line.
    it is *PHP* that interprets the tags so that it can tell when it needs to
    process stuff. also, it is bad form anymore to just use <? as an opening
    tag...<?php is the recommended/correct answer. i could go on...but...

    finally, in another question, you ask how to output php results to the
    browser. 'echo()' was your only answer. print, sprintf, print_r, and even
    the venerable short-hand <?= ?notation are a few of MANY possible answers.

    i went through about 20 of the flash cards and found either the question was
    a poor question and/or the answer was a poor, or downright wrong answer.

    perhaps you should have an actual php developer write the questions and give
    the answers. more importantly, have a php illiterate check both using the
    manual (jerry stuckle would be perfect for that job :).


    Comment

    • Twayne

      #3
      Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

      This is a tool for learning the PHP programming language:

      >
      You can look through the tabs to find information, and you can have
      the site quiz you to help you retain more of the language. Our
      developers have found this method useful, and are building YoYoBrain
      to help others learn prorgmming languages. Any feedback on the site
      and the flashcards is appreciated.
      >
      Best,
      >
      Elizabeth
      Actually, that's not a bad idea; I kind of like it. I have to admit the
      domain name sort of put me off at first, but you have a good concept
      there IMO and as far as I know, unique. I think you need to do more
      patter and introduction type work to better identify just exactly what's
      going on, why, and who the intended audience is, but the meat is there
      and looks like it could work out. Eventually I could see multiple
      stages: Ignorant first time beginner, beginner, almost intermediate,
      imtermediate, whatever.
      Also IMO your font size is a little on the light side; I'm visually
      impaired and without magnification I couldn't read your cards.

      HTH

      Twayne


      Comment

      • Elizabeth Barnwell

        #4
        Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

        Thanks, everyone, for the helpful advice. We are trying to make this a
        community of learners- so people can add comments/site resources etc.
        to correct errors like the ones you found. But currently, you can only
        create and share material - so, to Dale's point, any PHP developer
        could make their own questions/answers- it's not limited to just one
        set of flashcards. The problem is that there's not much community
        stuff up yet- but we're working on it (...and font sizes - thanks
        Twayne!)

        Thanks again,

        Elizabeth

        Comment

        • Mark A. Boyd

          #5
          Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

          Twayne posted in comp.lang.php:
          >
          >"Elizabeth Barnwell" <elizabethbarnw ell@gmail.comwr ote in message
          >news:015bda2 8-5aea-41f3-b2f1-d580d7387dc4@w7 g2000hsa.google groups.com...
          >>This is a tool for learning the PHP programming language:
          >>http://www.yoyobrain.com/subjects/show/3120
          >>>
          >>You can look through the tabs to find information, and you can have
          >>the site quiz you to help you retain more of the language. Our
          >>developers have found this method useful, and are building YoYoBrain
          >>to help others learn prorgmming languages. Any feedback on the site
          >>and the flashcards is appreciated.
          >
          Dale, instead of bitching, why not offer actual assistance? Your
          response is nothing but a put-down for PHP beginners and worse than
          useless the way you set your stance.
          Twane, I sometimes come here just to watch the Steve & Jerry show, but
          overall, and as "an experienced programmer not too far past the intermediate
          stage," I feel Dale/Steve is right in this case. And IMHO he did provide some
          constructive feedback.

          Elizabeth, I don't know if the following should be categorized as "asking
          proper questions" or if I'm suggesting some sort of qualification for the
          questions/answers.

          ---
          For example, besides assuming Apache Web server, the flip cards also assume
          MySQL:

          Q. Discover how many rows are in a result set
          A. mysql_num_rows( )

          What if I use a different database? Should the questions - or the entire
          course - be qualified as pertaining to Apache Module, MySQL, whatever
          else...?

          ---
          (Note: all line feeds in my "A." answers below are as I see them in my
          current browser configuration.)
          ---

          Inconsistant/incorrect terminology and syntax:

          In the Default tab:
          Q. Conditional operator. First evaluates an expression for true or false
          value then executes one of 2 statements depending on the result of the
          evaluation.
          A.
          ( test-expression ) ? if-true-do-this :
          if-false-do-this

          In the Default1 tab:
          Q. How do you do a ternary operator which returns one expression if true and
          another if false
          A.
          {expression} ? return_when_exp ression_true :
          return_when_exp ression_false;

          ---

          Missing < and characters in the answers. For example, the one Dale/Steve
          already mentioned now shows:

          Q. Command to dynamically write content into a generated HTML page
          A.
          echo (); ex: ?php echo( "h1Hello
          world/h1" );?

          ---

          It is difficult to distinguish the difference between suggestive/explanatory
          comments and example code in the answers (see previous example above). Better
          linefeeds /might/ help.

          Another example:

          Q. Syntax for logical AND, OR, and NOT operations
          A. AND - / and OR - || / or NOT - !

          What?

          ---

          Inconsistant conventions used.

          copy ( $source, $dest );
          unlink()

          In the two examples above, variables and ; are used in one example, yet
          omitted in the other.

          IMO, all manuals/help systems should use a defined convention for all syntax
          and said convention should be easily accessible. (Pick up any tech
          manual/book and you'll likely see it in the first pages.)

          Consistant punctuation is also a plus. Some question/statements use a period
          at the end while others do not. I don't recall seeing any question marks,
          though there may be some.


          <disclaimer>
          I haven't used flash cards since I was a young boy, so my opinion may be off
          kilter on some of the above. Are they actually used today in schools/learning
          systems beyond Kindergarten age? I seem to recall flash cards were intended
          for memorization rather than as a learning tool. And it seems to me that
          learnin' PHP would be far easier than trying to, somehow, memorize it. I just
          don't see how flash cards are beneficial here.
          </disclaimer>



          --
          Mark A. Boyd
          Keep-On-Learnin' :)

          Comment

          • Geoff Berrow

            #6
            Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

            Message-ID: <Xns9AEBD46AD78 76mblistssanDot rrcom@194.177.9 6.26from Mark
            A. Boyd contained the following:
            And it seems to me that
            >learnin' PHP would be far easier than trying to, somehow, memorize it. I just
            >don't see how flash cards are beneficial here.
            I had a quick look through the first few before I got bored. I haven't
            committed the entire PHP function set to memory, nor do I intend to. It
            may be useful to me if I could remember the difference between implode
            and explode but it's no big deal if the manual is just a click away.

            --
            Geoff Berrow 011000100110110 0010000000110
            001101101011011 001000110111101 100111001011
            100110001101101 111001011100111 010101101011
            The Slippery Hill Boys Tel: 07985 425932. American themed barn dances and bluegrass performances. Stoke on Trent, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, Cheshire and surrounding areas.

            Comment

            • Mark A. Boyd

              #7
              Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

              Geoff Berrow posted in comp.lang.php:
              Message-ID: <Xns9AEBD46AD78 76mblistssanDot rrcom@194.177.9 6.26from Mark
              A. Boyd contained the following:
              >
              >And it seems to me that
              >>learnin' PHP would be far easier than trying to, somehow, memorize it. I
              >>just don't see how flash cards are beneficial here.
              >
              I had a quick look through the first few before I got bored. I haven't
              committed the entire PHP function set to memory, nor do I intend to. It
              may be useful to me if I could remember the difference between implode
              and explode but it's no big deal if the manual is just a click away.
              You're right in that while learning the language, much of it does get
              committed to memory. I tend to think that happens through usage, learning
              from mistakes, and especially manual lookups rather memorization by rote.

              I should add lurking in newsgroups and using dejanews.com to look up past
              newsgroup threads. Kudos to the regulars in this newsgroup for pointing me
              down the path of learning for a fair bit of my PHP knowledge.

              Still, there are many styles of learnin' and this one seems to be targeting
              people who don't learn easily via manuals, classrooms, example scripts, and
              tutorials/videos. Maybe they've found a market.

              I do think they should be consitant. And Twayne's suggestion that "other
              methods are available" for many of the answers is a very good idea - perhaps
              with links to other flash cards, articles on the site or the PHP docs
              themselves. If done well, and if there's a significant number of people who
              learn better with flash cards, then all power to them!*


              * And as Twayne implied, perhaps a different domain name would be better -
              unless YoYoBrain gets big enough to be a widely recognized brand - which may
              be a goal.


              --
              Mark A. Boyd
              Keep-On-Learnin' :)

              Comment

              • Dale

                #8
                Re: Working more efficiently in PHP


                "Mark A. Boyd" <lingoboyd@mboy dDotcom.invalid wrote in message
                news:Xns9AEC6A1 2EB21Emblistssa nDotrrcom@194.1 77.96.26...
                Geoff Berrow posted in comp.lang.php:
                >
                >Message-ID: <Xns9AEBD46AD78 76mblistssanDot rrcom@194.177.9 6.26from Mark
                >A. Boyd contained the following:
                >>
                >>And it seems to me that
                >>>learnin' PHP would be far easier than trying to, somehow, memorize it. I
                >>>just don't see how flash cards are beneficial here.
                >>
                >I had a quick look through the first few before I got bored. I haven't
                >committed the entire PHP function set to memory, nor do I intend to. It
                >may be useful to me if I could remember the difference between implode
                >and explode but it's no big deal if the manual is just a click away.
                fully agree. i use several languages and can't possibly remember specific
                function names. i've got 3 reference books on my desk right now and the .chm
                for 4 others on my desktop. my editor (crimson editor) is programmed to pull
                up each by keyword.

                all that to say, the constructs of a language are the most important things
                to know and remember. the details, such as specific function names and the
                like, are fairly insignificant when they are easily referenced from a manual
                (electronic or paperback).

                <snip>
                Still, there are many styles of learnin' and this one seems to be
                targeting
                people who don't learn easily via manuals, classrooms, example scripts,
                and
                tutorials/videos. Maybe they've found a market.
                perhaps i seemed a bit damning in my original response. i was pointing out
                what i thought was a detractant for me as a seasoned developer. i feel the
                questions could have been written better and full disclosure, regardless of
                skill-level, should be in the answer.

                having said that, i think the idea of the site is really a good one. it just
                needs work. as twain had suggested, perhaps categorizing the flash cards
                based on skill-level is a good route to go. if this site really wants to
                make it, the owner must understand that flash cards should ONLY be used in
                conjuction with LESSONS. flash cards do not help you LEARN anything, they
                help you REMEMBER things. i would suggest having sample applications or code
                snippets that have flash cards associated with them. without a context,
                items from wrote are quickly forgotten...a scientific fact (and yes, i can
                give cites).

                <snip>
                Mark A. Boyd
                Keep-On-Learnin' :)
                btw, mark, i'm glad to be of service. the steve-n-jerry show is not due for
                cancelation any time soon. :)


                Comment

                • Elizabeth Barnwell

                  #9
                  Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

                  This is great; thank you all for the constructive advice. It gives us
                  a sense of the direction in which to head.

                  Much appreciative,

                  Elizabeth

                  Comment

                  • Curtis

                    #10
                    Re: Working more efficiently in PHP

                    Mark A. Boyd wrote:
                    Geoff Berrow posted in comp.lang.php:
                    >
                    >Message-ID: <Xns9AEBD46AD78 76mblistssanDot rrcom@194.177.9 6.26from Mark
                    >A. Boyd contained the following:
                    >>
                    >>And it seems to me that
                    >>learnin' PHP would be far easier than trying to, somehow, memorize it. I
                    >>just don't see how flash cards are beneficial here.
                    >I had a quick look through the first few before I got bored. I haven't
                    >committed the entire PHP function set to memory, nor do I intend to. It
                    >may be useful to me if I could remember the difference between implode
                    >and explode but it's no big deal if the manual is just a click away.
                    >
                    You're right in that while learning the language, much of it does get
                    committed to memory. I tend to think that happens through usage, learning
                    from mistakes, and especially manual lookups rather memorization by rote.
                    Yeah, this is a good point. I can still remember when I was hopelessly
                    confused with programming, in general. The most important concepts are
                    learning general programming principles, and how to approach problems
                    as a programmer.

                    The beginner shouldn't be quizzed on an API, rather, they should be
                    taught how to use Google to search for solutions, how to look at code,
                    and understand what's going on. Programming is a difficult skill, and
                    there really aren't any shortcuts to get good.

                    Also, when learning Web scripting, I think learning security is
                    paramount from the beginning, since your code is at the mercy of the
                    world. PHP, especially, can be deceptively simple unless you're careful.
                    I should add lurking in newsgroups and using dejanews.com to look up past
                    newsgroup threads. Kudos to the regulars in this newsgroup for pointing me
                    down the path of learning for a fair bit of my PHP knowledge.
                    >
                    Still, there are many styles of learnin' and this one seems to be targeting
                    people who don't learn easily via manuals, classrooms, example scripts, and
                    tutorials/videos. Maybe they've found a market.
                    >
                    I do think they should be consitant. And Twayne's suggestion that "other
                    methods are available" for many of the answers is a very good idea - perhaps
                    with links to other flash cards, articles on the site or the PHP docs
                    themselves. If done well, and if there's a significant number of people who
                    learn better with flash cards, then all power to them!*
                    >
                    >
                    * And as Twayne implied, perhaps a different domain name would be better -
                    unless YoYoBrain gets big enough to be a widely recognized brand - which may
                    be a goal.
                    The best ways I've learned was from messing around with code. The
                    satisfaction when you finally figure something out, and get it to work
                    is great.

                    @OP: you don't seem to be escaping HTML markup on your flashcards, and
                    if users can submit their own flashcards, your site's in for a lot of
                    XSS attacks. Also, in Firefox, if I hover over the right-most cards,
                    the box gets clipped off by the right edge of my screen.

                    --
                    Curtis (http://dyersweb.com)

                    Comment

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