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Thread ID: 137106 2014-05-23 00:54:00 Have any PC techs ever thought of moving to become software developers..? Webdevguy (17166) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1375582 2014-05-23 07:55:00 TL;DR - I tried when I was young and gave up - now I just do hardware

I had delusions of programming skill when I was younger, never went far enough or made good choices about languages to have made it very far though.
It's depressing for example to have spent a week perfecting several pages of code for a music database (one of the few programs I actually finished) and after using it for a while and being impressed with yourself discovering excel for the first time... Most of my early programmes can be done much better with any spreadsheet program these days :(

I learnt (self taught):
Logo - just an instructional language and no actual use
Basic - old school with the line numbers - could write basic programs well enough but that's about it
STOS - Atari specific version of Basic for writing games. I wrote two games and got them functional enough to realise they were going to be complete rubbish and abandoned my game developing dreams
GW basic (and a couple other similar ones) - played with learning these and lost interest
C++ - decided I need to learn something more useful and started learning this - gave up pretty quick. I just don't have the patience I once had for this stuff.

Of all those C++ would be the most useful but probably also the most involved. Sometimes it's good to start with easier code so that you can feel better about making progress :)
Webdevguy (17166)
1375583 2014-05-23 08:55:00 I learned some java while I was at AUT but thanks to bad lecturers and the promise of maths down the line I was put off completely.

I could learn a language later on but for the moment I'm enjoying not being knee deep in exceptions and infinite loops. I never could get the motivation to start outside of school, I tried HTML once but notepad as an editor quickly put me off that, hah. Other than that I've got too many other things more relevant to learn.

Linux stuff, for a start, is high on my list.
8ftmetalhaed (14526)
1375584 2014-05-23 09:42:00 I learned some java while I was at AUT but thanks to bad lecturers and the promise of maths down the line I was put off completely.

I could learn a language later on but for the moment I'm enjoying not being knee deep in exceptions and infinite loops. I never could get the motivation to start outside of school, I tried HTML once but notepad as an editor quickly put me off that, hah. Other than that I've got too many other things more relevant to learn.

Linux stuff, for a start, is high on my list.
Linux would be something good to have under your belt. As for text editors I use Sublime Text 2 with Emmit which is a major jump up from notepad. Coding with Emmit is like being able to code in txt speak with a turbo charged auto complete. As an aside and stepping away from Linux, what would it take to make coding/development interesting for you?
Webdevguy (17166)
1375585 2014-05-23 10:06:00 I tried HTML once but notepad as an editor quickly put me off that, hah.

You started with the wrong tool ;) try Notepad++ instead :thumbs:
pcuser42 (130)
1375586 2014-05-23 10:45:00 It is an art of sorts but like all forms of art it can be learned in stages :thumbs:


You started with the wrong tool ;) try Notepad++ instead :thumbs:
Yup +1 from me :thumbs:

The basic version of notepad is just that ....
Notepad++ Much better.
Webdevguy (17166)
1375587 2014-05-23 11:13:00 Sort of like the plumber and sparky and chippy and bricky and painter all go together to build a house but don't often cross trades Ofthesea (14129)
1375588 2014-05-23 11:17:00 Yup +1 from me :thumbs:

The basic version of notepad is just that ....
Notepad++ Much better.Or Notetab.
Greg (193)
1375589 2014-05-23 11:22:00 I noticed there's an app creation course with GrabOne deal (www.grabone.co.nz) going on at the moment - valid for another couple weeks Greg (193)
1375590 2014-05-23 11:33:00 I noticed there's an app creation course with GrabOne deal (www.grabone.co.nz) going on at the moment - valid for another couple weeks
Could be worth checking out.
Webdevguy (17166)
1375591 2014-05-23 12:38:00 So what do you do that pays better than been a software app developer?

Consulting, specifically re: VoIP in my case :)
Chilling_Silence (9)
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