Yes very good advice if you just want to *use* shaders. Anyone can use shaders if they have the tools it's just copy and paste and following directions. I want to *understand* shaders not just use them. Copy and pasting won't help you any if no one tells you want the stuff does correct? If I just stare and look at tens hundred lines of

if(jghk==fjshd) { return; }

I'm going to learn c-script? No... why I agree it helps to get familar in the above example if you don't know what if, (, ), ==, {, ;, }, return means you'll never understand the best you can do is guess.

Also I know both c-script and directx and have been programming for a while I'm aware it contains a measure of trial and error (okay alot) but if no one ever teaches you the sytnax you will never go far.