

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

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.<p>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.<p>How do I find out if I like to code?<p>-lost in my career
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sixtofour
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.

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pharno
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

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ahrens
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.

~~~
pharno
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.

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th0ma5
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.

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creativeone
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?

