macOS I think I have the programming bug

[CP123]

I think I have the programming bug. My son decided that he wanted to learn Python. I decided whatever language he went with, I would get a good book and learn it as well. Well, I got a book for children and beginners, and both of us love it.

I had a few bumps trying to figure out some things in Finder, downloading easgui, and finding a good text editor(downloaded SPE and Smultron, but don't know how to make them run a Python program).

Anyway I can't seem to get enough (my son is also into it). This is a completely different experience than when I went to college in the late 70's and majored in computer science. After some very boring and horribly taught classes, I changed my major. However, that passion never left. It was just buried until recently. Now I can't get enough.

Did anyone of y'all start late as well? Are many of you dong this as a hobby or professionally? I just feel that everyone (especially children) should learn some programming.

 

[Cromulent]

I do it as hobby (passion really I guess) and one day hope to do a computer science degree. I've had to put it off for a couple of years due to personal reasons but things are looking very good for the future so I am still hopeful that I will make it to university one day.

I'd certainly agree that is an addictive process although I've never been quite sure if it was the problem solving or the programming itself I was addicted too. I tend too lean more towards the problem solving and the programming is just coincidental to that.

I'm off travelling in South East Asia and Australia for about 8 months or so and hope to use the time away from computers to brush up on my Maths so that I feel more confident about my abilities if and when I go to uni, but I certainly agree that starting as early as possible with programming will most definitely be an advantage later in life especially as just about everything relies on computers and thus programmers to one extent or another.

Err, I ended up saying more than I meant too there .

 

[robbieduncan]

Python is built in: you can just open Terminal and type Python to start the interactive shell/interpreter...

 

[Cinder6]

I'm majoring in computer science right now, but I started learning about programming back in Jr. high school. Fun times.

 

[Catfish_Man]

Be a little careful with this; programming can and will eat almost unlimited amounts of time, energy, and attention. I've had to force myself to go to sleep and stop working at 3AM on a number of occasions.

(I'm mostly self-taught, and do it professionally now)

 

[Man-Droid]

I think I have the programming bug. My son decided that he wanted to learn Python. I decided whatever language he went with, I would get a good book and learn it as well. Well, I got a book for children and beginners, and both of us love it.

I had a few bumps trying to figure out some things in Finder, downloading easgui, and finding a good text editor(downloaded SPE and Smultron, but don't know how to make them run a Python program).

Anyway I can't seem to get enough (my son is also into it). This is a completely different experience than when I went to college in the late 70's and majored in computer science. After some very boring and horribly taught classes, I changed my major. However, that passion never left. It was just buried until recently. Now I can't get enough.

Did anyone of y'all start late as well? Are many of you dong this as a hobby or professionally? I just feel that everyone (especially children) should learn some programming.

I am a very late starter. Like 33 y.o. late. I just woke up last week and said I'm kind of bored playing with this thing on my desk, maybe I should learn to do something with it.