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Learning to code

Lark

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Jun 21, 2009
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29,569
I was wondering about how difficult it is to learn to code? Or about studying hardware, software etc. more generally.

I'm considering possibly changing lanes from the work I have been doing to an IT career although I have not made any decisions for definite as I might consider a part time working arrangement and then study part time.

IT affords work from home opportunities and working past retirement in ways that I think other career paths do not, at least a number of friends who actually work in the field have said so and talked about colleagues who do free lance or commission based work alongside or in addition to their main source of revenue/employment incomes.

Although, all said, I'm an older guy, I can still concentrate, speed read, time manage etc. but I worry about the whole drop off in skills acquisition and learning capacities in mid-life. I probably will decide some sort of learning strategy for this kind of thing anyway, although perhaps not to the standard of a professional if its not probably or possible for someone my age. What do anyone with experience in this field think about it?
 

Shadow Play

New member
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
236
It's never too late to learn to code. There are a number of great materials available to teach yourself online, most of them free to use. Self-directed part time study is a feasible option.

The difficulty of programming varies between languages. Python is good for beginners because it has a simpler syntax, and the wide range of possible applications makes it quite versatile. It's generally better to be highly skilled in one language than to have a smattering in over a dozen, but being familiar with other languages is worthwhile even if you don't know how use them. It depends on what programs you want to write.

Also, one's ability to program is determined more by one's problem solving abilities than it is by one's knowledge of languages. There isn't much memorisation involved in my experience. That is to say, there isn't much memorisation of individual commands, because the emphasis is on learning syntax.
 

Novella

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It's never too late if you have the passion and dedication. My SO is a self taught programmer, now retired, switched from a Mechanical role to an IT career in his 30's for companies such as Amex and IBM by virtue of his hard work and passion. He only went to Year 10, has no University degree. It is possible but not easy. All the best with that endeavour if you wish to pursue it.
 

tony_goth

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When you start to learn any abstract subject it's difficult for 3 days only.

For those who want to learn to code, the first advice I give is : learn C first. Because most languages resemble C.

The idea is not to be able to code large amounts of C code, but to know what a programming language is. Then learning other languages will be easier.

It's like learning esperanto before learning another speaking language.

I think some mathematics, especially set theory, graph theory, and complexity theory will be useful.
 

Norrsken

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It wasn't that bad when I was taught coding the past spring semester this year. You could take a night class at your local community college if you feel like you'd learn better with an instructor looking out for you if you have questions. Or if you're more independent, there's endless cheap e-books and free videos to teach yourself how to code. It gets easier to grasp the more you practice. I'm surprised that I kinda liked it a lot; It's to the point that I'm going to read another book about computer programming and languages to teach myself more that we haven't gone over this semester due to all the weather close downs at the school. So if my no-longer-in-my-teens-or-early-twenties can do it, so can you. Good luck.
 

Maou

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Easier than a foreign language I assume.
 

Jaq

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If you go looking for documentation or tutorials, be sure that they're recent. Personally, I use Python for my video game programming, but that's using a popular engine. If I were to offer a piece of advice, try finding something you want to make before you go off randomly searching for information. Imo, having a goal can help. That way, instead of just some person trying to absorb a lot, you're someone who has a goal and then adds a little bit of knowledge until you have your goal. After which you can easily set more goals and keep adding to that little bit of knowledge.
 

tony_goth

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Easier than a foreign language I assume.

Yes, because you can learn what the metaphysical realities of efficient and final causes are in a detailed manner in 3 days.
 
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