Programming communities? forums? (in Off-topic)

I'm a beginner programmer and planning to self-teach myself a bunch of programming this summer. Where can I go to get tips for programming as well as help when my programs don't work?

Start by googling what you need? I'm really not sure... In the early stages, just jacking around is paramount, all on your own. If you get TOO much help, you'll just become an amalgam. Judging by your astute nature and attitude here, I, for one, don't want that. I'd like to see what 3/4 brings to the table all on his own.

So, Sutekh's process:

-- When you are programming, just "do stuff". Cause and effect See how what you are typing, compiling, and running manifests itself.
-- Decide what you want that manifestation (usually due to classes, etc.) needs to accomplish.
-- Do your best to accomplish that.
-- If you cannot, get some tips by checking online. Don't post and ask for a direct answer. Stay generic, stay loose.

If you have a problem, keep the question generic: "Sutekh, I don't understand parameters..." or, "I am not understanding pointers and what they are for?" Asking, "How would you take a list of strings and sort them?" is not the best question. TRY to sort them first, then tell us what you've done.

There are those who program through sheer genius -- I am not one of those. I program through cause and effect, seeing what I can change and how I can change it, bisecting myself (hopefully somewhat efficiently) towards a solution. A basically logical, consistent mind is a HUGE step toward that. If you have that, relax, and make sure you let that mind work you towards solutions.