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Too old to start web programming career?

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Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#11

Post by johnrob »

nostrademons wrote: post #8

It's harder to compete on technical merit, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I'll quote Drucker again here: "Concentrate on what you're good at." At 33, you've probably got a decent amount of experience in the business world, plus some additional formal education. Work on finding and solving problems that aren't apparent to the young turks just out of college, because they don't have the work experience. I'm…

You are spot on. I've always found this frustrating - hackers beat their heads on walls looking for new consumer ideas, while deep in the industries there are relatively simple problems left and right. I think the frustration is on both sides - hackers would love to solve these hidden problems, and the business folks would love someone to make their lives easier.

PG said it best, "build something people want": it's the hardest thing for a start up to do. So the idea of all these hidden opportunities just kills me. If someone wants to start a website that publishes these type of ideas, you'll have me as a user.

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#12

Post by iamelgringo »

If you're too old at 33, then I'm too old at 34. :) I'm an ER nurse by trade, but I'm one or two semesters shy of finishing my degree in CS. I'm going back and getting in touch with my inner geek after years of having a "safe" job. I was talked out of getting into CS in 1992, because "there's not that much need for computer programmers". Sigh... I'd only recently moved to the states from overseas, so I believed them. Argh!

Anyway, what I'm focused on now is web development. There's nothing to stop us from learning this stuff. All of the important training materials for these technologies are on line or on Safari. There is a pretty steep learning curve, and expect it to take a while to become really proficient at it, but go for it.

And, I've spent the last 3 years paying off debt, moving to Silicon Valley, and getting ready to be a founder as soon as I'm done with school. So, don't let the kids scare you off. Dive on in, the water's great. :)

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#13

Post by wallflower »

I admire your courage. It's so easy to stay in the comfort zone of a daily/weekly/yearly/ad to boredom routine (for example, do you know anyone who drives the same route and parks in the same parking spot in a big lot.. Everyday?) Moving your career is bold and the nay-Sayers probably envy your courage and determination. As someone famous wrote - most people die at 30 and are buried later. Negativity criticism etc. is the easy path to take - anyone can point out a problem but how many will fix it.

I firmly believe that we as humans all are creative. And that expressing our creativity, our imagination, our mind allows us to be less unhappy. I like programming because it is a creative form of writing - taking half-baked requirements and turning it into something people might find of value/help their daily job/life. I read once that the IDE or your editor is like a word processor for abstraction - the building and invariancing of data structures.

My point here is it sounds like you enjoy programming at an emotional, mental, and maybe even spiritual level. I think you'll do fine - the young bright things probably are still learning that there is more to life than technology. My second point here is you won't regret taking on this suite of opportunities.

And when you talk about your job, please don't tell them you are a programmer. Ask the person asking "what do you do for a living" what they do when they use a computer - and tell them you make that stuff work (and ask them if they have any ideas of stuff that could be useful for them)

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#14

Post by ojbyrne »

nostrademons wrote: post #8

It's harder to compete on technical merit, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I'll quote Drucker again here: "Concentrate on what you're good at." At 33, you've probably got a decent amount of experience in the business world, plus some additional formal education. Work on finding and solving problems that aren't apparent to the young turks just out of college, because they don't have the work experience. I'm…

44 years old when I built digg. Is that competing in the web2.0/social networking sphere?

The stuff that happened after we were funded (I've left the company) probably had a lot to do with my age, and the type of conventional wisdom (i.e. bullshit) that is out there and espoused by some of these commenters.

Remember that on the internet, noone knows you're a dog (or an old dog).

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#15

Post by m0nty »

ojbyrne wrote: post #14
nostrademons wrote: post #8

It's harder to compete on technical merit, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I'll quote Drucker again here: "Concentrate on what you're good at." At 33, you've probably got a decent amount of experience in the business world, plus some additional formal education. Work on finding and solving problems that aren't apparent to the young turks just out of college, because they don't have the work experience. I'm…

44 years old when I built digg. Is that competing in the web2.0/social networking sphere? The stuff that happened after we were funded (I've left the company) probably had a lot to do with my age, and the type of conventional wisdom (i.e. bullshit) that is out there and espoused by some of these commenters. Remember that on the internet, noone knows you're a dog (or an old dog).

As a 41-yr old hacker (and late-comer to the game; I didn't start until I was well into my 20s) I'd just like to thank you for sticking up for us "old-timers." It really bothers me that people think you're past it when you get past 35 or so. 'Scuse me if I'm not dead yet and have no intention of acting as though I am.

My project is at http://surftrackr.net/ It won't ever make me rich, but (a) that's not the point, and (b) it's my way of making a contribution. While there are programmers out there who can do a better or worse job than I have, I can guarantee the differentiating factor is not their age.

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#16

Post by raju »

m0nty wrote: post #15
ojbyrne wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

44 years old when I built digg. Is that competing in the web2.0/social networking sphere? The stuff that happened after we were funded (I've left the company) probably had a lot to do with my age, and the type of conventional wisdom (i.e. bullshit) that is out there and espoused by some of these commenters. Remember that on the internet, noone knows you're a dog (or an old dog).

As a 41-yr old hacker (and late-comer to the game; I didn't start until I was well into my 20s) I'd just like to thank you for sticking up for us "old-timers." It really bothers me that people think you're past it when you get past 35 or so. 'Scuse me if I'm not dead yet and have no intention of acting as though I am. My project is at http://surftrackr.net/ It won't ever make me rich, but (a) that's not the point, an…

I too, started late in the game. With a brief introduction to Basic in school, and some programming classes in undergrad, I graduated with a Bachelors in Production Engineering, and it was after that I realized that computers (and programming) is where I felt just right. I worked on my first major (Java) project in grad school when I was 21. Haven't looked back since and over the years have learned several languages.

I will admit though, that a)starting late b)not having a formal education in computer sciences is a little frustrating at times. I spend my evenings trying to play catch up with those who had a head start (reading up on compilers, language design, even SICP). Don't get me wrong, I am still as fascinated with computers as I was 8 years ago (I turn 30 today, the 1st actually), but every time I read a brilliant comment on a language or a framework on YC News, I know I have a long way to go before I will have that level of competence and understanding.

To answer your question, I don't think its never too late to pursue your passion. In the long run, when you look back, you would rather see having spent time doing things you loved to do, rather than spending a majority of your life as a zombie, in pursuit of a paycheck than anything else.

From another late starter, I can only wish you the very best.

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#17

Post by butterfi »

davidw wrote: post #2

Why don't you combine the two? IMO the people who do the best are those that have more than one area of expertise. In other words: no business wants to buy software. They don't care about it at all. What they want is something that will help their business, and someone who knows both the software and the business is better able to connect the two. BTW, ditch the PHP and Mysql and look at some other stuff like Ruby on…

While ruby and python are definitely more sexy (and by extension rails and django), I think its a mistake to dismiss PHP and MySQL has not being worthy of study. Take a look at the job boards and see what people are looking for. I think you'll see far more employers looking for MySQL and PHP skills then Postgres and Ruby/Python. For example, It seems like Drupal developers can write their own tickets right now (drupal is a CMS written in PHP/MySQL). You might be better off looking into CMS/frameworks like Drupal or Django.

As a 42 year old developer, I say go for it. You have other skills you bring with you. Frankly, these days I look for people who demonstrate maturity and life-long learning skills more then I do a specific skill-set.

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#18

Post by mathogre »

I turned 50 last September. Ten years earlier I started playing with Linux and learned very quickly I knew nothing about Unix. In 5 months I was rolling my own kernels, mainly out of need; apmd wasn't in the default Red Hat kernel, and I needed it for my laptop. A few months after that I was one of Those People who helped bring Linux into the corporate world when people could get fired for having done so.

Five years ago I proposed - and was awarded - a research project at work (internal r&d money). I chose at that time to use Python to develop a tool to design airspace for air traffic control purposes. I didn't know Python other than having played with it in console mode. In my experience it was the language to use, and it worked like a champ for us.

I'll "retire" in 15 years. When I do so, I fully intend to be employable at that time (re: current).

Start now. Get into it. 33 isn't too old to start, but it is too young to stop.

Btw, I have a BS in applied math from a small state college - Keene State College in NH. Degrees from good schools might help, but passion for what you do can go a very long way. (^_^) Go for it and good luck!!!!

Re: Too old to start web programming career?

#19

Post by cstejerean »

ojbyrne wrote: post #14
nostrademons wrote: post #8

It's harder to compete on technical merit, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I'll quote Drucker again here: "Concentrate on what you're good at." At 33, you've probably got a decent amount of experience in the business world, plus some additional formal education. Work on finding and solving problems that aren't apparent to the young turks just out of college, because they don't have the work experience. I'm…

44 years old when I built digg. Is that competing in the web2.0/social networking sphere? The stuff that happened after we were funded (I've left the company) probably had a lot to do with my age, and the type of conventional wisdom (i.e. bullshit) that is out there and espoused by some of these commenters. Remember that on the internet, noone knows you're a dog (or an old dog).

I think it makes sense to build something that you want to use personally (solves one of your problems), or at least solve a problem that you understand well. It's certainly possible to do neither but I think you're more likely to fail then.

It has nothing to do with age.

The advice about not trying to compete in the "web2.0/social" market I think is a good one regardless of age. It's far too crowded with "me too" startups and most business models rely only on advertising or hopes of getting bought before loosing too much money.

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