

Is it too late to learn to think/write code? - uttiyo

I an 32 years old. Have been a design professional [Architectural Design] for 10 odd years now.
I have been lethargically trying to develop a web application for a while now.
I have realized over time that the same lead-by-example leadership that I have been able to demonstrate for multi-million dollar real estate and built-environment projects... is not applicable for the world of machine-language... since I am green on even the basic parameters and constraints in question. 
My [much younger] technology savvy friends tell me  - "There is a _time_ for everything" - effectively  calling me out to be an over-the-hill humbug.<p>I think of this as baloney. So my question to HN is in two parts:
1.Are you _ever_ too old to learn to write code?
2. If not, where do I start?<p>[Warning: People with answers to #2 might frequently be asked stupid questions by me in the future]
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mbenjaminsmith
I started learning software at 32.

I got a couple of things out of your question:

1\. You're wondering if it's worthwhile. 2\. You're struggling to finish
something that's likely already within your capabilities.

Yeah, it's definitely worthwhile. I've brought a small software company
further than a business I spent five years on (a PR agency) in a much shorter
amount of time including the time it took me to learn a few languages. Having
said that, I became addicted to it and spent nearly 5k hours on programming my
first year and almost that much the second. It took no effort because I was
hooked as soon as I started. I think you need to ask yourself if you really
love writing software and are afraid to completely commit to it (it is time
consuming and somewhat intimidating) or if you just think it's any interesting
possibility for a career change. If it's the latter it probably won't be worth
it for you.

If it does excite you, I'd suggest picking very small projects (and yeah, with
an easy language like Python) that you can finish within a short period of
time. There's nothing like _finishing_ projects to motivate you and give you
confidence to try different things. From a career/business perspective, once
you've shipped a few things you'll have some credibility even if you don't
have a ton of experience.

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brianm
It is not too late. The biggest problem people generally have learning
something significantly new later in life is fear of looking stupid. As long
as you don't mind looking stupid, you should have no problems. By this, I mean
displaying your ignorance in asking for help, showing people your not-yet-
beautiful-oreven-working code, and so on.

I would suggest Zed Shaw's <http://learnpythonthehardway.org/> is probably one
of the best self-paced and self-taught courses on truly beginning programming
available on the internets right now.

In general, assuming normal health, the only major changes in terms of ability
to learn occur in early childhood. There is evidence that you learn much more
easily as a very young child, and structural patterns, around language in
particular, become harder to change after puberty. This seems to be accepted
in cognitive development circles, but the research is not overwhelming.

~~~
abbasmehdi
+1 for "internets". Oh how I miss that dubya. :)

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billiamram
I wouldn't say it's too late. As with any adoption of new thought processes,
you'll face a few challenges in overcoming conflicting ways of thinking if
any, but it is definitely doable.

Here are a few "How to" guides with references to other resources that I've
found helpful from my time scavenging hacker news:

[http://www.jpstacey.info/blog/2011/03/13/how-construct-
web-d...](http://www.jpstacey.info/blog/2011/03/13/how-construct-web-
developer-twelve-months)

<http://www.silvertreksystems.com/checklist.html>

<http://krainboltgreene.heroku.com/log/2>

I generally do better with task oriented learning, so I find it helpful to
have something specific that I want to build, but everyone has a different
learning style. Either way try to have fun and enjoy the learning. Good luck!

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JaretManuel
I am 34 & learning. My answer to your question is whatever you think. If you
think it is too late then you are right. The opposite holds true and I hope
the latter is your belief. <http://JaretManuel.com/hackerville> list some of
the resources in this posts comments and replies. Go create some luck! Best
success.

@JaretManuel

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IdeaHamster
To answer #1, I offer you the biographical sketch of Jens Skou, who decided to
take up programming in 1988...at the age of 70:
[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1997/...](http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1997/skou.html)

~~~
mbmx
Yep this is a great question. I don't think it is ever to late. Just like any
job/skill there must be a commitment that must follow. Programming is
something that is nothing more than another job it just so happends that many
people start young as a hobby. I don't think this means anything but that they
got a slight head start. I like you started programing later in life and I'm
33. I have been studying programing and am getting my degree in software
engineering in a month... As far as my degree is concerned, I have not really
studied programming exclusively until my last 30 credit hours (there was alot
of system admin, network, and OS stuff prior on top of a few basic
programming)which lands around the time I was 31ish. Most of the stuff I could
have learned on my own without a degree. I recenlty got my first job as a .net
programmer at 33. I would suggest that if you are going to web dev think in
teams of stack. Like .net C# or vb.net, html, css, javascript, and SQL or PHP
and mSQL. This sounds like alot but maybe start with heavy emphasis and
priority learning the background language as far as syntax(vb, c#, C++, Java).
Then do small (very small no overkill) projects developing a test database,
test website, and so on. I suggest this approach cause you will be focused on
the backend programming language and developing skill while incrementally
building comfort for a tiered based environment. You can focus on learning the
html, javascript and sql slowly overtime and not at the same pace as the
background language of your choice. This is okay because in a 1yr or so you
will be able to code effectively for backend and have comfort with the rest of
the abstraction. This approach has worked for me and if for me anyone can do
it!

~~~
mbmx
This last post was directed toward the original post. I just could not find
anywhere to respond the originator of the topic but only to the responders on
the post.:)

~~~
viandante
Same problem for me.

Anyway, call me mad, but we are too used to believe that each specific domain
of knowledge must take years to be fully understood. That is just not true.
What is stopping you from going from engineering to economics, or from
business to programming, or from medicine to architecture, etc.?

The real shame is that we don't have a proper learning system. Universities
are wasting the time and brilliance of millions... the real learning is on the
field or sharing with people or reading (alone) good material. And that
doesn't take too long...

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scottporad
1\. No.

2\. To get into it casually, I recommend that people start with Hackety Hack.
If you're more serious, I would go take some class. Honestly, that's how I got
started...I took an 8 hour class on HTML at the local university computing
center.

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maxdemarzi
1\. You are never too old to learn anything.

2\. <http://www.codeschool.com/courses/rails-for-zombies>

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clojurerocks
I am currently teaching a few people how to program. If youre interested in
joining us, drop me a line at startupz.net@gmail.com

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abbasmehdi
One piece of advice, programming is hands on, and that is the best way to
learn it.

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uttiyo
I missed putting in an "Ask HN:" on my post. Sorry

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ignifero
Don't just learn to code, learn to program. I m of the opinion that one starts
with the classics, like C, that will make everything else (e.g. Python) fall
into place. Also, despite the sex appeal of rails, I'd start with PHP, that
will introduce you the underlying technologies of web dev.

P.s. It's only too late when you are dead. I started a phd at 29. Just beware
cause it's addictive, and you may end up smelling a little more

