Andrew
What should I know before becoming a Computer Programmer?
#programming
4 answers
Carlos Gonzalez
Carlos’s Answer
That really depends on what you know today, but I would suggest just jumping into it as soon as possible. Programming is a very broad field with a lot of room for different specialties, data analytics, software design, web applications, cloud services ... the list goes on and on.
There's a lot of content available online for free to help you get started. "Getting your hands dirty" is the best way to learn, because if you find that you struggle with a particular area, you can study up a bit more on it online.
https://www.codecademy.com/ - is one resource I used for Python and found it super helpful. Everything was free, and you don't even need to install/configure anything on your computer. You just need a PC and Internet access. I used it for Python, but they have content for a bunch of different languages and even some for just overall concepts.
Carlos recommends the following next steps:
Tony Pearson
Tony’s Answer
I taught "Computer Programming 101" at Pima Community College, have worked over 30 years as a software engineer, and advise MIS/OM students at the University of Arizona.
Back in the 1800s, it was assume that only about 5-10% of people were smart enough to read, and as we know today, nearly everyone can learn to read. Likewise, there are people who think only 5-10% of people can program computers, but that is not true either. ( source: https://prendacodeclub.com/blog/coding-2016-like-reading-1816/ )
The reality is that while nearly everyone can learn to program a computer, a few will enjoy it, and others find it a chore. Here is a great article on 10 signs that you may not want to pursue programming ( source: https://blog.usejournal.com/10-signs-you-will-suck-at-programming-5497a6a52c5c )
What you need to know is that computers do what you tell them, so the best programmers are the ones that learn to communicate well. One of my first "Computer Programming 101" exercises is to have everyone write instructions on how to make a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. Nearly everyone failed in class. When people create recipes, they assume that the person already knows what a sandwich is, what a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich looks like, and those assumptions means that steps are skipped or incomplete. If you were telling a robot how to make a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich it would be a lot different.
The best way to learn if programming is right for you is to get yourself an old computer, install a free open source copy of Linux like Fedora or Ubuntu, and download free open source versions of programming languages, browsers, data bases, and other applications. This is all you need to try out the online classes like those from CodeAcademy mentioned by Carlos above.
Jacob Hutcheson
Jacob’s Answer
I think the most important thing to know is that programming is just as much craft as it is science. You will constantly be challenged by new ideas, techniques, and things to learn. It's true that you need to have a solid textbook understanding of basic concepts that are universal to any type of programming, but there is also a craft quality to it that only comes with time. Programming experience is priceless, and it's easy to get frustrated as a beginner because you don't yet have the context to understand problems and how to pick the right tool for the job. I started programming when I was 12, and even with 25+ years of experience, I still have to constantly look things up or research how things work. If that sounds appealing, then programming can be incredibly fun, but if that sounds tedious then programming will be tedious.
