What compiler would you download? How would you install it? Where would you go for help? (...) how do I know the names of the functions that I'm supposed to use to do stuff? How do I know what displays text on the screen? How do I know what reads keyboard input?
Search engines?
"How do I read keyboard input in C" → the first result is scanf()
"How do I display text on the screen in C" → returns a tutorial on how to use puts and printf
The compiler thing is actually the major problem. There are lots of choices and it's easy to become lost in those woods. LPTHW has the benefit of "download this", which removes an entire realm of choosing that's much less important than stoking some fires while the spark burns.
Search engines?
"How do I read keyboard input in C" → the first result is scanf() "How do I display text on the screen in C" → returns a tutorial on how to use puts and printf