Newbie install
 

I have to write some programs with linux this semester. What is the most basic way for me to get started? Is there a shell that i can run from a jump drive? I'm not trying to install as an OS. I just want to write some programs.

Welcome!!

I would think that writing program in any system would be difficult without actually installing said system. You can run Linux from a "Live CD", but then--for programming-- you would still have to save your files somewhere. And--compiling anything more complex than "Hello, World" might be painfully slow.

My hunch is that you need to bite the bullet and install Linux.

What does your instructor recommend?

It is possible to run linux from a flash drive, and have it be persistent, so changes are kept across boots.

Puppy Linux makes it fairly straightforward to do this and install a development environment.
http://www.puppylinux.com/development/compileapps.htm

TinyCore as well, for something more basic, and perhaps a little more complicated than puppy.
http://www.tinycorelinux.com/

This might be what you're looking for.

^ + 1 live-usb
my vote is fedora live-usb creator.

See pendrivelinux.com for plenty of how to's.