Ask YC: How to learn the most programming possible in 9 months? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask YC: How to learn the most programming possible in 9 months?

#11

Post by ayb » Sat, Oct 09, 2010, 2:34 AM UTC

Do whatever it takes to program every day. Either build a few apps for yourself, work on a new app/business you plan to launch, or try to extend open source projects. The important thing is trying.

Like an writer or a painter, the best way to learn programming is to learn by doing.

It does help to work with others, so find a friend and work on a project with them and try to learn as much as possible if you can.

Regardless of how you do it, you will be blown away by how much your skills improve after 270 days.

Re: Ask YC: How to learn the most programming possible in 9 months?

#12

Post by malandrew » Sat, Oct 09, 2010, 3:25 AM UTC

It would help us immensely if you tell us why 9 months and what you hope to be able to accomplish after 9 months. That will help us point you in the right direction.

Re: Ask YC: How to learn the most programming possible in 9 months?

#13

Post by icey » Sat, Oct 09, 2010, 5:01 AM UTC

Start writing code as soon as possible. The earlier you start writing it, the earlier you'll actually understand what you're doing.

Even typing in examples verbatim from books will force you to start paying at least a little attention to what the code is doing. If that's too boring, try re-implementing examples without referring back to how they did it in the book.

Re: Ask YC: How to learn the most programming possible in 9 months?

#14

Post by rdw20101009 » Sat, Oct 09, 2010, 6:12 AM UTC

May I please suggest that your question fundamentally mistakes the journey. Programming is applied thinking--it is not about the tools. Maybe you already know how to think in ways useful to programming, or maybe you don't. Either way, nine months out of a lifetime is not much.

If you already know how to program, then nine months might be a decent timeframe for adding a new tool (or two) to your toolbelt. If you do not already know how to program, then nine months will be just enough to make you dangerous.