I learned to program from books directly. About 20 years ago before google and the net ever became popular. I think they are great resources. However most modern day books just quote technical articles by the manufacturers. So I now agree it is better to learn online. With a word of warning as follows:
Even though I read many many books, and had internet access almost since it was financially feasable. I was never, ever able to complete any sort of sizeable project. Sure I could do many of the sizeable projects in big advanced books where they take 20 chapters to walk you through it, but when it came to my own real world projects, I always without execption hit a brick wall. I got to tell you, I read some heavy books.
I had problems all my life getting into college, but I am now going into my third year. In my first year I met people in 4th year, and masters, and was able to hold productive conversations about the theories of AI, HCI, assembler, and compiler development ect. But yet with all this knowledge I could not create a reasonable program. What was I missing... The one thing you cannot get from any book, or online.
Structure. In first year, I learned nothing of a technical nature (Allready knew the whole lot and breased through it without a days study, execpt maths and design as these were reasonably new to me), but I did learn structure and teamwork. In my first summer holidays I got closer than ever to completing my first real work.
In my second year, I learned a good deal of new tech stuff (still the basics in comparson to what I knew, but I was putting the theory I knew to real practice). This emphasised the importance of structure all over again. I have not completed my first real project. I now consider myself a programmer.
I dont beleive its necessary to read books to learn programming. But its a help. However, I do certantly beleive that no book or website teaches or can teach what you get from even 2 years of college. If you have managed to complete projects without ever going to college, fair play, but it is an experience I highly recommend no matter the age.
Books are good, internet is better, google and you tube are fab, but nothing beats good old fashoned college in my opionion. And I doubt any amount of googling and youtubing ever will, and I know first hand that no amount of books ever will.