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!
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.:)
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...
