General beginner question

[Yornav]

My first post...

I have been having a lot of fun with Magic... but there is a geek in me somehow :p

I know this might be slightly of topic but I am desperately searching for some pointer about understanding basic to advanced techniques, information on the next topics:
-Programming on visuals.
-understanding how graphic cards works
-understanding differences in computer languages (I want to learn a computer language for creating visuals like the text and object files.
-understanding how to tell a computer to make a vector, a line, give physical conditions to the line like becoming parabolic,...
-understanding how to give in a mathemathical formula
I mostly want to be able to create shaders to start with...

I would be very thankful for any pointer to a good course or website. Or any red wire... I have no idea how to start. Feel completely surrounded by fragmented information.

[Sadler]

There are several types of programming paradigms: structured, functional, declarative, object etc. which, to some extent are important to graphics programming but in terms of shaders, in my opinion at least, mean very little to understanding highly parallel programming. In this regard I would recommend two starting places.

https://thebookofshaders.com/

https://www.openprocessing.org/

And watch out to see of this gets run again - register your interest:
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/creative-coding/

There is a lot to learn.

[artnik]

Welcome Yornav!

Also check out https://www.shadertoy.com and https://www.interactiveshaderformat.com.

I personally really like the latter. Get in there and tinker with something that's already made as part of your learning. I've found that going in with limited knowledge, I was able to learn to make meaningful changes after a month or two of studying how the code on these two sites works. It's a great introduction to GLSL (GL Shading Language). GLSL is what a lot of the modules for MagicMV are made from.

Cheers,
nik

[Yornav]

Nice input
Thanks!
I have homework to do now!