Cconsidering a computer programming degree, how do I find out if I like to code? | Hacker News Reader

Cconsidering a computer programming degree, how do I find out if I like to code?

1 pointcreativeone6 comments

I am 26, I have a degree in business economics (worth little in the job world) but have always tried to run my life "independently.". I have raised money to buy rental properties, managed a few retail stores, and have make some good money with Internet marketing. I am considering returning to school in order to find a "thing" I can be good at that is also high-tech. I like using my creativity as much as possible, I just dont find myself very skillful at anything. :/ I have been thinking of going to school to study comp sci, and maybe tack on physics if I can handle the pressure. I imagine that the variety of things that I learn in comp sci can help me in my career regardless of whether I code full time or not.

But I don't know if I will like programming. I have seen HTML and CSS but always leaned towards using frontpage, wordpress, or whatever thing possible without ever writing code.

How do I find out if I like to code?

-lost in my career

Code.

Start here: http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide

Get Python installed and start following the road map above. As you work through the tutorial(s) you'll either find it interesting or not. If it's interesting, keep going. If some parts seem a little tedious, keep going. If you find yourself making excuses for not continuing, you're not interested (enough).

At some point you should start feeling like you want to stop or pause the tutorials and start trying some ideas of your own. Good, you're interested.

learn python / php. Do some small projects. A calculator, something that pulls data from a database and displays a table. Whatever, but start small, then get bigger.

if you still like it, go ahead, and try to make small website with django for python, or codeigniter for php.

Personally, I think programming isnt hard to learn, but it needs some basic skills, and passion, which you will get if you like it. You know you really like it, if you sit at work, and think "oh, I could implement feature X into my site" or "Im an idiot, thats a much better way" :D

There is actually only one thing to do: Code! Get a couple of books in an easy language, maybe Ruby on Rails, or take online classes. Dedicate yourself to spend at least 200 hours (the more the better!) to learn and practice the language. If you enjoy it, CS might be for you. If you find it tedious and horrible, it's probably not for you.

you dont need 200 hours to see whether you like it, or not. You just need the basics, you dont have to be a master of the language in the end.

I agree with tons of the other posts, just dream up something very basic you want to accomplish with some code and just blindly do it. Emulating a web browser with Python's urlopen is a lot of fun. Also, the graphics language Processing is incredibly instantly rewarding at least in a geez-wow kind of simple programming way for beginners.

I have an idea for a reuse of the hackernews code. Is it reasonable for me to start by trying to edit it into a working site?

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