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Chapter: Why
Learn
Programming
using Processing?
Why
Learn
Programming
using Processing?
Processing covers a lot of ground as it is a great way to learn
programming for the novice and for the experienced programmer it
provides a fast and efficient approach to developing advanced
applications.
Code for Artists
Processing is built with the intent to be a tool for creating visual
and interactive representations of code. This means that it is not as
generic in it's application such as a programming language like C++
which can be used for engineering, mathematics, scientific applications
and even games development but which also has it's limitations as it is
generally not used to create online applications that might appear on a
website. Processing is built for specific fields of interest and as a
result less coding is needed in Processing than might be required in
more generic programming languages when developing programs that are
suited for the Processing environment, such as data visualization,
interactive online applications, animation and many other similar
fields. This is not to say that Processing is limited to one particular
genre of application, but merely to say that Processing provides a set
of tools that make the process of creating certain types of
applications easier.
Processing has developed since 2001 initially as an extension to the
Java programming language, then into a prototyping tool and now into
it's current implementation of being a fully developed programming
language that continues to develop in fields such as microprocessor
programming and physical computing where it has gained much recognition.
Java Based
Processing was originally developed as an extension to the Programming
language, Java and it's roots in Java are still evident today even
though Processing is a language on it's own. Processing's relationship
with Java has many benefits, the two languages share a similar syntax
except that Processing can make visual representations of your code
easier to create than Java can (which is more generic in it's scope of
application). Java shares a lot of similarities with the programming
language C (from which it was originally developed) and Java is also
one of the most popular languages currently in use. If you are familiar
with Java or C++(which is also closely based on C) learning Processing
should come quite naturally to you.
The Java
programming language is a popular language for software development and
is almost entirely open source. C++ is a
widely implemented language, as it is available on many popular
platforms
Open Source
The Processing PDE (which is used to develop Processing code and is
something we will discuss in more detail later) is Open Source Software
and it is released under the GNU General Public License.
You've probably heard the term “open source” before and are aware that
it relates to something “free”, but are you aware that the term “free”
as it is used in the context of open source does not necessarily have
anything to do with money or the absence thereof?
The term “free” within the context of open source refers more to a
philosophy or methodology rather than a monetary reference and as such
is akin to the term “freedom”. However as the idea of open source has
expanded in modern day society it is often come to be synonymous with
something that is also free of monetarily related costs. Processing is
no exception to this, it does not require a costly software license
such as proprietary software vendors require for the usage of their
products. Anybody can use Processing and the PDE, modify it,
redistribute it and the GNU General Public License ensures that the
Processing PDE will always remain free.
What about the content you create with Processing does that also have
to be “free” and open source?
The answer to this question is, and will remain to be, no. The content
you create with Processing belongs to you, the creator, and you are
free to do with it whatever you please. If you wish to sell the
software or code that you produce with Processing it is your right to
do so. If, however, you do not wish to sell your work and wish to
distribute it freely as open source code there are various options
available to you to protect you and your work.
Amongst these licences is the GNU General Public Licence which protects
the rights of developers of computer programs that wish to ensure that
the software they develop remains free, including all derivatives that
are made from the original software program.
Another such licence is the Creative Commons Licence, this licence
allows creators of media to reserve some rights of their work (if they
choose to) and still legally allows the copying, redistribution and
modification of such media if the author chooses to exercise these
rights. Wikipedia is an example of a large scale organization that
licenses it's contents under a Creative Commons Licence and Linux is an
example of popular software that is licensed under the GNU General
Public Licence.
The GNU GPL 3
logo as started by the Free Software Foundation and the Creative
Commons logo, both of these trademarks have become
synonymous with the term “copyleft”.
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