Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

initcoder.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 190 posts

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#121

Post by pglevy »

pglevy wrote: post #95

What I took away from your post was not that you want to learn computer science but that you want to build things with software. If so, now is a really exciting time because it's never been easier for people without a CS background to go from idea to working software. As a UX designer, I've worked with developers for a long time, so I've picked up knowledge along the way. I've read some books and merged some PRs at w…

That's fair. It depends on the goal. I'm not trying to change careers. And I didn't get that sense from original poster. I'm mostly interested in prototyping or addressing niche productivity issues. But I feel I learn quite a bit from seeing what the LLM does and asking follow up questions or looking things up. I've been around software dev a lot so that helps with knowing what to ask sometimes. My main point is if someone is interested in building software, they should start building as soon as possible. Don't feel you have learn everything first.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#122

Post by hgomersall »

andrew_lettuce wrote: post #110

I see people conflate computer science with computer programming regularly. If you are motivated to build things you probably want to pursue the latter, and dig in to understand how the things you use work. Maybe your want to go deeper academically in certain areas, but do you want to be motivated by real world application or theoretical underpinnings? True comp sci is a lot closer to mathematics than most people's t…

Maybe engineering the discipline to study.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#123

Post by malwrar »

globnomulous wrote: post #88
malwrar wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't mean to be a jerk, but I'm having trouble figuring out what the point of the post Well, it is the only post on this person’s website, I bet they wrote this because they wanted to set up a blog and needed content. I thought their enthusiasm was heartwarming personally, imo the drive OP is expressing is the most important part of starting with CS stuff (maybe any hobby?) > or of posting the post here is Maybe…

Thanks for writing this. I agree. I actually didn't mean for the post to be so negative. I really did mean what I said when I wrote that his starting point -- curiosity and eagerness -- are wonderful. Seeing the mention of ADHD set my thoughts on a rather different track. The lack of focus becamein retrospect much more the defining characteristic of the post -- to the point that the post itself doesn't seem to know w…

I totally missed the ADHD angle, I definitely see where you’re coming from now. Here hoping at least one of OP’s projects draws their interest enough to focus their exploration!

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#124

Post by globnomulous »

ranger_danger wrote: post #120
globnomulous wrote: post #71

I don't mean to be a jerk, but I'm having trouble figuring out what the point of the post or of posting the post here is. Are you asking for advice? Feedback? Suggestions? Criticism? Support? The only question your post asks is "but who am I really?" To be honest, what I hear in the paragraphs that follow is less a description of yourself than the pronouncement that you are capable, curious, and driven to learn more,…

> I don't mean to be a jerk, but Honestly, simply omitting that entire first sentence would have made the post seem a whole lot nicer.

That's an excellent point. Noted for the future. Thanks.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#125

Post by globnomulous »

lukan wrote: post #90
globnomulous wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Agreed. There's strong evidence that most people who quit their jobs to pursue passion projects accomplish less than those who pursue them but keep their jobs.

Can you share that strong evidence?

Oof, no, I can't. I'd edit my comment, tempering that certainty, if I could.

I recall multiple therapists telling me precisely that, according to the research, people are less likely to accomplish or make progress on passion projects when they quit their jobs with that goal in mind. I have memories of finding papers on this, too. Now I can't find them, and I'm questioning the accuracy of my memory.

Disheartening and embarrassing, but probably healthy, too. Thanks for the reality check.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#126

Post by upghost »

manuel_w wrote: post #117
upghost wrote: post #58

If you want to speed run things and you have a little money to spend, I'd check out Dave Beazley's workshops, particularly his Advanced Python Mastery course[1]. One advantage you have over senior developers is that senior developers need to be generalists, you have the opportunity to go deep. It is entirely conceivable you could learn Postgres, JavaScript, or Python better than someone who has been programming in th…

It sounds like you attended this workshop and can recommend it. Is that true?

I've attended 4 of them (3 in person in Chicago, 1 remote during Covid), and I took the raft algo implementation course twice (second time remote). Half of the reason I take them is bc the content is good and the other half is because Dave is just genuinely an amazing instructor and human being. It takes someone of tremendous talent to present such complicated ideas with such simplicity and humility and lack of jargon, he talks about implementing consensus algorithms the same way someone might patiently teach you to tie your shoe. In the era of Big Ego in Big Tech, it's a truly refreshing difference in perspective.

Each course I took was accompanied shortly after by a significant increase in career, compensation, and understanding. Like anything else, it is what you make of it. All I can say is it was a very good experience for me.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#127

Post by dickstrawng »

andrew_lettuce wrote: post #110

I see people conflate computer science with computer programming regularly. If you are motivated to build things you probably want to pursue the latter, and dig in to understand how the things you use work. Maybe your want to go deeper academically in certain areas, but do you want to be motivated by real world application or theoretical underpinnings? True comp sci is a lot closer to mathematics than most people's t…

agreed as astronomy is not telescopes

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#128

Post by dickstrawng »

reactordev wrote: post #60

I want to call out something here. I’m all for learning to code at any age but companies need to stop being ageist and discriminatory towards older coders and workers. I’ve started to see this myself. I’m certain it’s ageism. To the OP, if you’re passionate about it, don’t let anyone/thing stand in your way.

i've never discriminated. I don't wanna know your name I don't wanna see your face. Pass the test pass the interview. we can use chat if you want to I don't care. Well maybe now I care because of ChatGPT. you also have to pass all the criteria from HR, but that could have anything to do with your right to work or criminal record. That's not my concern either. On my last job the first person I hired was 67 years old and I didn't even know it. They did the work of eight people easily. The only surprise was that I didn't learn anything from them. (Pro tip: if someone like this tries to teach you something someone told them to tell you. this guy is not gonna say anything he's getting paid €300 an hour) What was not surprising, was that every project was completed with extremely high-quality and completed early. what I learned from him was always keep a pocketbook handy for the times you get bored. He was bored very often.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#129

Post by dickstrawng »

klipo wrote: post #32

Good luck! I’m going through a similar journey. I’m in my late thirties and only started software engineering professionally 5 years ago, without a formal CS degree, but with a hobby-level affinity for computers. It seems like you have an intrinsic interest in the subject. I think this is THE key, because you will grow the most by figuring things out in a play-like fashion, this will solidify your understanding and b…

I don't know how comfortable I feel throwing around terms like computer science and software engineering. I know a lot of people who can program but I would never have them design a medical system or anything having to do with life or death situations.

Re: A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

#130

Post by lisp2240 »

Nobody else will tell you the truth: nobody will ever hire you as a software developer. You will never get past the filter.

I tried to enter the field at 35. I couldn’t get an interview with a CS degree. I did everything right. Good GPA. Portfolio. Professional resume help. Sent applications for two years and heard nothing. Now I’m 45 with nothing to show for it. All those late nights studying coding interview questions and I never got a chance to try.

The success stories you hear are people with friends or family members who get them through the door. Unless you know someone like this, give up now and don’t waste your time.

Post reply on HN