Learnt at the age of 40. Thought was late to the game. Kinda of person who really doesn’t do anything unless presented with the reason to do so. Also started with Python so was motivated enough to stick with it. Been making odds and ends but now working on monetizing that skill sets.
I self-learned to code at 30
81–90 of 150 posts
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#82Self taught coder at 44. My memory isn’t the greatest, probably one of the hardest things I’ve done, required so much persistence to get through all the frustrations, only reason I made it was due to huge motivation. There’s no way in hell everyone can learn how to code. Even if most people had the intellectual capability to code (which they don’t), most don’t have the patience and persistence required to follow thro…
I think coding proficiency is obviously on a pretty large spectrum, so I think there is probably something of a bell curve on where people can reasonably get to. Certainly most everyone could get to a point of working with the basics of a given language, but past that coding really becomes problem solving, whether it is a bug or a business requirement...and that's when a person's willingness to stick with a problem till the end comes into play.
Also, congrats on your journey and sticking with it :)
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#83Self taught coder at 44. My memory isn’t the greatest, probably one of the hardest things I’ve done, required so much persistence to get through all the frustrations, only reason I made it was due to huge motivation. There’s no way in hell everyone can learn how to code. Even if most people had the intellectual capability to code (which they don’t), most don’t have the patience and persistence required to follow thro…
I don't like to say that not everyone can code. I like to say that not everyone will enjoy coding. Personally, I find it more liberating to confront my personal challenges in learning something in terms of how much fun I'm having and/or how much work it'll take to get good at it. For many years I told tried coding and told myself that I couldn't do it when it got to hard. But the honest answer is that I simply didn't…
I don't know why we have to sugarcoat it. Not only can anyone not be able to code, I'd go as far as saying that MOST people will never be able to code a production application no matter how much teaching/resources you throw their way.
My mother, at her peak, would have never learned how to code even if you held a gun to her head.
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
I learned at 43. Got my first developer job at 44. This description rings true for me. Persistence in the face of frustrations along with an actual enjoyment of creating things with code is what got me through. Programming seems like it would be a dreadful job for someone who didn't get some satisfaction out of typing code and then watching as your code does stuff. Definitely not for everyone. In my case, I didn't st…
> Persistence in the face of frustrations along with an actual enjoyment of creating things with code is what got me through. I want to say that this is essentially what "the knack" is for a lot of engineering/programming types. It's the willingness to beat your head against a wall dealing with something unfamiliar until it works and you understand it a little more. Some people can't stand it - for others the dopamin…
That dopamine hit is so delicious when you're learning to code and a bunch of frustrating puzzle pieces finally fit together.
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#85Self taught coder at 44. My memory isn’t the greatest, probably one of the hardest things I’ve done, required so much persistence to get through all the frustrations, only reason I made it was due to huge motivation. There’s no way in hell everyone can learn how to code. Even if most people had the intellectual capability to code (which they don’t), most don’t have the patience and persistence required to follow thro…
I think that the idea that everyone can learn to code is an exaggeration, in the same way not everyone can learn arithmetic and algebra (that is, some people are literally incapable of learning it, others end up with such severe anxiety they become incapable of it though it's not a technical incapability). However, I do believe that anyone capable of learning arithmetic and algebra can learn programming, though perhaps only to a certain level. And that doesn't necessarily lead to a a career in programming.
Take VBA + Excel, for example. I've seen many non-programmers (by education or trade) pick it up to solve real problems within their offices. It's certainly not my tool of choice, but the level they pick it up to is basically the arithmetic/low-algebra level. They aren't making software for a living, but they are making software to support their living (that is, they're engineers or accountants or administrators who make something that solves a problem, but not software engineers/programmers in general). Their understanding is at the arithmetic/low-algebra level in that they can do it, but don't necessarily understand (fully) what they're doing (they know what variables are, and use them correctly, but maybe don't understand or even know about scoping rules).
The next level involves actually learning scoping rules and how to apply them. How to create new classes/modules and not just by rote imitation. How to "factor" your program into collections of procedures on data structures. This is the algebra level, this is the point where people can start actually becoming professional programmers (more reliably, you can become a professional at the previous level but you'll be constrained in what you can make by what you can understand).
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#86I learned to code at 33. I am now working full time in the field. Before that, I was a sysadmin. I worked as a sysadmin from about age 20. I understood ops coming in and this let me punch above my weight. It took about a year for me to get good enough to apply for jobs. I would now be considered a good developer by most standards. This only happened because I found a fantastic mentor. He took me under his wing and pu…
How did you get mentor?
Networking IRL.
Most people think networking is trading business cards. Don't do this. It's pointless and doesn't work.
Talk to people. Talk to everyone. Be interested in what they say. Be interesting. The best way to be interesting is to do interesting things. You can do interesting things by being interested.
I met my mentor at the gym. We were talking about gym stuff and eventually he said something I recognized as technical. I followed up and kept asking _good_ questions. I respected their time but made it clear I valued their input.
We developed our relationship overtime and eventually formalized it. I asked him directly to help me and he was excited to help. We all love helping people. It feels good.
This is also how I got my first tech job (different people, same process).
Talk to people and be interested in them and their lives. Sometimes this will provide opportunities. Don't do it with the intention of creating a transaction.
If I _needed_ a tech mentor, I would hang out with tech people. Tech people hang out with other tech people. Go hang out there (this is obviously harder due to covid, but we're almost through it).
Gyms, gun ranges, music stores, libraries all attract these people.
Saying "Hi" is the hardest part.
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
Knowing how to code means you're able to go from an idea to working implementation in a reasonable amount of time.
What is "an idea"? Any idea? On any programming field? Am I not a coder because I don't know how to make a osx app? And what is a reasonable amount of time? After all, I can make an osx app, taking way longer than someone who has experience making osx apps, but waaaay faster than someone who doesn't know anything about programming. Maybe that's enough? Ah but, I know how to make a http rest api in a fraction of time.…
I think if you wanted to make an OS X app you could probably figure it out while someone who doesn't know how to program would not even know how to begin.
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't like to say that not everyone can code. I like to say that not everyone will enjoy coding. Personally, I find it more liberating to confront my personal challenges in learning something in terms of how much fun I'm having and/or how much work it'll take to get good at it. For many years I told tried coding and told myself that I couldn't do it when it got to hard. But the honest answer is that I simply didn't…
I don't know why we have to sugarcoat it. Not only can anyone not be able to code, I'd go as far as saying that MOST people will never be able to code a production application no matter how much teaching/resources you throw their way. My mother, at her peak, would have never learned how to code even if you held a gun to her head.
Would have is different than could have.
There’s lots of things in life I don’t care to learn, but it doesn’t mean I couldn’t. To be perfectly frank, programming is one of the easier things in life I’ve learned, and it’s usually only difficult for the wrong reasons like poor documentation, bugs in other people’s code, people, etc.
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't like to say that not everyone can code. I like to say that not everyone will enjoy coding. Personally, I find it more liberating to confront my personal challenges in learning something in terms of how much fun I'm having and/or how much work it'll take to get good at it. For many years I told tried coding and told myself that I couldn't do it when it got to hard. But the honest answer is that I simply didn't…
I don't know why we have to sugarcoat it. Not only can anyone not be able to code, I'd go as far as saying that MOST people will never be able to code a production application no matter how much teaching/resources you throw their way. My mother, at her peak, would have never learned how to code even if you held a gun to her head.
If your mother ever told you how to do something which required you to make decisions along the way, she’s a coder.
Re: I self-learned to code at 30
#90Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't like to say that not everyone can code. I like to say that not everyone will enjoy coding. Personally, I find it more liberating to confront my personal challenges in learning something in terms of how much fun I'm having and/or how much work it'll take to get good at it. For many years I told tried coding and told myself that I couldn't do it when it got to hard. But the honest answer is that I simply didn't…
I don't know why we have to sugarcoat it. Not only can anyone not be able to code, I'd go as far as saying that MOST people will never be able to code a production application no matter how much teaching/resources you throw their way. My mother, at her peak, would have never learned how to code even if you held a gun to her head.
Coders are not special, or extra smart, or anything like that, and there are too many already who are prone to the sort of idiocy and hubris that creates a superiority complex. How's that for not sugarcoating it?