Becoming programmer after 40 years.
1. Lots of people start getting degrees 2. Unemployment goes up because people without degrees can't get jobs 3. Exam boards etc. make exams easier so that people can get degrees to lower unemployment 4. jmp 1 |
hmmm, is that a goto statement I see?, perhaps we should change that to a do/while statement! ;-).
Now that abilify is gone? where am I going to buy my anti-psychotic meds from?
(swinging moods from rage to happiness to uncontrollable crying)
It's not a goto, it's a jmp! The difference? You can't goto functions, but you can jmp to them. jmp is awesome. jmps are precomputed, too, so you can jmp to a label/procedure that hasn't been defined yet.
jmp - goto > 0, so jmp > goto.
jmp - goto > 0, so jmp > goto.
I'm very sorry, guys, but what have happened during last few hours makes me really become upset. I'm not going to defend or blame anybody, but I think, there is no reason to wrangle and insult each other with offensive words and no reason to prove that somebody is superior above anybody else. Please, be indulgent towards each other and be patient. I respect a person for having (more or less) knowledge on this or that subject, but knowledge (even superior one) doesn't authorize anybody to behave in an arrogant way or to offend and blame others.
So, be self-possessed and restrained, please...
Also, if possible, don't go too far away from the original subject of the topic, please...
So, be self-possessed and restrained, please...
Also, if possible, don't go too far away from the original subject of the topic, please...
[@hayksk: Do you want to be a C++ programmer or a software engineer?]
As far as I understand, being solely a C++ programmer doesn't make much sense. The fact is that I just decided to start with C++, but not to be concentrated only on it.
As far as I understand, being solely a C++ programmer doesn't make much sense. The fact is that I just decided to start with C++, but not to be concentrated only on it.
I would recommend you to start with something a little simpler, like Python. C++ is difficult to start with... I learnt it as a first language, and now I never use it. I use C instead. I think it was too hard to learn OOP AND programming AND C++ at the same time, whereas learning Python will be much easier, and also introduce you to some OOP ideas before you go into C++.
Just to answer the original question, I'll throw in my two cents. If it sincerely interests you, go for it. It really is that simple.
At such an age, the life-long earning potential has been significantly decreased, though. Even entry level engineers are making a fine living, so I wouldn't lose sleep over that.
Additionally, C++ is a great place to start. It is both easy to learn and hard to master. Your understanding of other languages will be more complete moving into higher level languages rather than the other way around.
At such an age, the life-long earning potential has been significantly decreased, though. Even entry level engineers are making a fine living, so I wouldn't lose sleep over that.
Additionally, C++ is a great place to start. It is both easy to learn and hard to master. Your understanding of other languages will be more complete moving into higher level languages rather than the other way around.
| chrisname wrote: |
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| I think it was too hard to learn OOP AND programming AND C++ at the same time, whereas learning Python will be much easier, and also introduce you to some OOP ideas before you go into C++. |
You can learn C++ without learning OOP; you just have to skip classes (or look at them as POD data). C++ without OOP is almost C except with some improvements (function overloading, references, templates, etc)
Yeah STL (standard template library) isn't really needed either... That is what my professor seems to be teaching.
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Really IMO it doesn't matter what you start with, so long as you teach yourself correctly. People who are self taught have the tendancy to read a large amount of chapters (over a coupe days) then try to program something that encapsulates all the data just read. The problem with that is most of the ideas are not put into practice well at all.
When learning you really need to focus on the details, so writing small sample programs that use every individual thing you learn while reading is generally the best way to go about it. That way you understand how each function works, or idea, algorithm or whatever it is you are currently learning...
So that style of learning in combination with reading forums to find out what is acceptable practice and what is not, is probably the best way to go about things. I don't think it matters to much what you study, so long as you take the time to understand what you are learning.
Peace.
PS. as for the other subjects that came up, it doesn't happen often on these forums but does have to happen to keep the forums great. Typically forums where people post junk solutions to peoples problems that are mostly entirely incorrect do nothing but promote bad programmers. Unix.com an example:
http://www.unix.com/
(well at least the scripting forum is terrible in that sense, people say "do my assignment for me!", and 20mins later someone posts back with an answer, not a correct answer, just an answer the OP can use to get a D or C if they are lucky)
The problem was not that he was doing this, but the way he reacted when asked nicely NOT to do it...
edit: as for that we have had numerous PM's since at the matter has been resolved somewhat.
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Really IMO it doesn't matter what you start with, so long as you teach yourself correctly. People who are self taught have the tendancy to read a large amount of chapters (over a coupe days) then try to program something that encapsulates all the data just read. The problem with that is most of the ideas are not put into practice well at all.
When learning you really need to focus on the details, so writing small sample programs that use every individual thing you learn while reading is generally the best way to go about it. That way you understand how each function works, or idea, algorithm or whatever it is you are currently learning...
So that style of learning in combination with reading forums to find out what is acceptable practice and what is not, is probably the best way to go about things. I don't think it matters to much what you study, so long as you take the time to understand what you are learning.
Peace.
PS. as for the other subjects that came up, it doesn't happen often on these forums but does have to happen to keep the forums great. Typically forums where people post junk solutions to peoples problems that are mostly entirely incorrect do nothing but promote bad programmers. Unix.com an example:
http://www.unix.com/
(well at least the scripting forum is terrible in that sense, people say "do my assignment for me!", and 20mins later someone posts back with an answer, not a correct answer, just an answer the OP can use to get a D or C if they are lucky)
The problem was not that he was doing this, but the way he reacted when asked nicely NOT to do it...
edit: as for that we have had numerous PM's since at the matter has been resolved somewhat.
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| You can learn C++ without learning OOP; you just have to skip classes (or look at them as POD data). C++ without OOP is almost C except with some improvements (function overloading, references, templates, etc) |
True, but I still like C. I don't know why, but code I write in C tends to be less buggy and more readable than code I write in C++ (I'm just a bad C++ programmer).
| hayksk wrote: |
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| As far as I understand, being solely a C++ programmer doesn't make much sense. The fact is that I just decided to start with C++, but not to be concentrated only on it. |
why doesn't it make sense?
some people learn the basics of a language then move on to another because they think they know enough already.. please don't practice this kind of habit. i'm also a beginner but i believe there is a lot to expect in c++.
| blackcoder41 wrote: |
|---|
| why doesn't it make sense? some people learn the basics of a language then move on to another because they think they know enough already.. please don't practice this kind of habit. i'm also a beginner but i believe there is a lot to expect in c++. |
While it may be that some people will do that, I would have to say that learning more languages could only help you (assuming you don't get them confused XP)
I think you will be fine at that age. Didnt you already say you were an engineer?? I just landed an internship with a nuclear facility www.srs.gov and i have no experience. They are paying me 2400 a month. To me that is pretty good with no experience. I plan on making more than that when I graduate. I was reading one of those best paying job type articles. A bachelors in Computer Science was the 6th best job with an average salary of 64000. So I dont know what kinda money you need, but I think it would be worth pursuing. I just dont understand how your not making enough and you have an engineering degree.
The reason that I asked the question is that there are programmers and there are software engineers. There are some here who know the difference, but just as many that do not. A software engineer builds software and has many tools at his or her disposal, C++ being just one of them. A software engineer is more concerned about software construction. A C++ programmer is concerned with "writing code".
It's very similar to the difference between a chef and a cook. Both can cook. But a chef has at his disposal a vast amount of knowledge that can only be gained by studying the culinary arts that a cook in the local greasy spoon can only vaguely comprehend. Same goes for software engineers. Just as a chef has to know how to do everything from invent new recipes to running the entire kitchen, a software engineer must know everything that goes into designing, building and releasing software. A software language is little more than a cooking style in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't hurt to specialize, but the world these days is all about fusing both culinary and software cuisines.
It's very similar to the difference between a chef and a cook. Both can cook. But a chef has at his disposal a vast amount of knowledge that can only be gained by studying the culinary arts that a cook in the local greasy spoon can only vaguely comprehend. Same goes for software engineers. Just as a chef has to know how to do everything from invent new recipes to running the entire kitchen, a software engineer must know everything that goes into designing, building and releasing software. A software language is little more than a cooking style in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't hurt to specialize, but the world these days is all about fusing both culinary and software cuisines.
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