Ask HN: Is 36 too late to start into programming?

Actually, it not falsifiable. If you succeed, you were born for it. If you don't you weren't.

The idea is that the only way he can find it out is by trying. Some of the best programmers I have met did come from outside compsci field - biologists, psychologists, and, yes, a business manager. The point is he must try to know whether he can - and is willing to - do it.

And, BTW, what good would a citation do? It would be as unfalsifiable as my claim.

It may be too late. I'm not saying that because there's some kind of time limit. However, why did you wait until 36 to start? I'm not suggesting you couldn't do it. I'm suggesting that it may just be that you don't love programming. There's nothing wrong with that.

But don't force yourself to learn something you don't love. Much better to partner with someone who does love programming.

If you do love programming, then do it by any means necessary.

There was a quote (can't seem to find it right now) from a Nobel prize winner about 10 years ago. He said that he didn't start the research project that led to him winning the Nobel until he was 65. He was in his 80s at the time of receiving the award, and he said that the lesson was that you're never too old to start something new.

Now, I realize this is a quaint little parable, but think about it: He started at 65 and was rewarded around 20 years later. What do you think you could accomplish given 20 years? That would only put you at 56, so you probably can get another 20 year project in before your time's up.

Oh, also...while looking for the quote, I came across this in one of the Nobel prize winner's autobiographies:

In 1988, I retired, kept my office, gave up systematic experimental work and started to work on kinetic models for the overall reaction of the pump on computer. For this I had to learn how to programme, quite interesting, and amazing what you can do with a computer from the point of view of handling even complicated models. And even if my working hours are fewer, being free of all obligations, the time I spent on scientific problems are about the same as before my retirement.

This is from Jens Skou (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1997/...). He was born in 1918. So he started programming at 70.

Is 36 too late? What do you think?

Except for some of the details, this is my story too -- had coded at an earlier stage in life, but gotten away from it, then returned in mid 30s.

As advancement in my first career began to look more and more remote, I had found myself wishing I had become a computer programmer, and was frustrated that changing course was so hard. One day about two years ago I decided that if I wanted to become a programmer, then I should start programming. If I didn't keep up with the programming, then ipso facto I didn't want to be a programmer.

Two years on, with a few college classes under my belt (basically useful, but probably dispensable), and a couple of side projects in various states of disrepair, I've got an low level coding internship with a very supportive employer.

I'm hardly brilliant programmer, but my employer hasn't kicked me out the door yet. The corporate environment is, at best, ok, and I would probably prefer not to have a job at all, but I am learning a lot. As far as jobs go, I can't imagine a better one than the one I've got. I expect that what I'm learning will open doors in the future, and the despair that clouded my first career is replaced by a sense of (I hate buzzwords, but here one comes) empowerment.

Most importantly, I really enjoy tooling around with my (two) side projects. Having fun problems to work on is the best.

36? Of course not. Try a bit of programming for a month or two. Pick up a book on Ruby and work through a few of the chapters. If you find you start thinking about programming more and more, then keep at it. It's never too late to learn something new.