Your advice on writing a programming tutorial:)

I am planning to write a tutorial on how to learn programming - from zero to hero. There are many online tutorials , but they are related to one task or specific application.


I will start from data types to necessary maths and end up with coding applications





I would like to hear your advice or recommendation on how to make this project more useful to all users.


thanks Your advice on writing a programming tutorial:)
I'm one of those people who use these tutorials (not online though) and just have a few maybe not so big advice that would have made those tutorials a lot better.





-PLEASE have good formatting in the examples of code (make sure the parameters line up, indent properly, etc.), its easier on the reader





-Don't just define computer terms, give examples of how it is like in life (like how recursion may be like broccoli), and pictures are key :)





-Tell the reader what the method/code may be used for in actual ';real life'; programming, often the tutorials I have will teach me the code, but never tell me when to use it (its like giving me this great novel invention, without instructions on how to use it). Like when I first got to pointers, I knew how to use it, but I had no idea why would someone use such a more complicated device than things such as arrays.





-If it's possible, color coding is good :)





-Oh yea, and if the tutorial really is for someone with absolutely no programming experience (you can tell how lost I was):


--Don't assume they know computer terms such as operating system/compiler/etc., if nothing else have a glossary with these terms for them to reference (or maybe I was just stupid..%26gt;%26lt;)


---In the beginning, when you give an example code of what every single code needs (ie libraries in C or the void main, or the public static main in Java), explain what each line does (or tell them to reference to page___ if it's a bit complicated to explain to them at that point in the book). Maybe some people are fine with it, but I was not happy to just learn the basics and ';just go with it'; kind of attitude and find out later in the book what that part of the code did.Your advice on writing a programming tutorial:)
It really depends on the programming language. If you try to do a general tutorial you will have problems, because the difference between say HTML, Assembler and C, or C++ and other object orientated languages is too big.





There's also the problem with interpreted languages where the data may be created without you having to declare it first, e.g. Basic, compared with compiled languages where declaration of data types is a big issue.





I think you should concentrate on a couple of languages such as HTML, which people can relate to since they can see it in a browser, and C or Java, because they are structured high level languages.
java is being used all over now, its becoming more popular due to mobile phones and things so i would go that route.





i say that because something like C is not gonna out sell a ';Kernighan and Ritchie';.






Broadcast it on youtube