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I loved it. I bought my first domain when I was 10, intending to create a game like Neopets. I obviously quickly learned I wasn't going to be able to, but I cre

by johnmaguire2013 11y ago

I loved it. I bought my first domain when I was 10, intending to create a game like Neopets. I obviously quickly learned I wasn't going to be able to, but I created a fan site, kept hacking at it, and learning. I learned security, etc. By the time I was out of high school, I was recruited by Barracuda Networks. Some of those kids will go on to be decent programmers. And it definitely leaves you with a much more analytic way of thinking, for better or worse. [1] http://www.screenshots.com/ghostlypets.com/2005-12-15 http://www.screenshots.com/ghostlypets.com/2005-12-15

Havoc 11y ago
>leaves you with a much more analytic way of thinking, for better or worse. I'm curious why you say "for better or worse"? (Not judging either way - just curious as to your thinking)
- bjones22 11y ago
  Not OP, but I'd like to chime in here. Getting good with computers is often best done by spending a large amount of time on computers. For many of "us" that involved teenage years playing MMORPGs, general programming, IRC, etc. Despite a certain illusion of sociality involved in these activities, I am of the opinion that they are uniquely anti-social, and thus were in one way or another a deprivation of my childhood. Sure I now have a much higher earnings potential. But was it worth it? I don't know. And thus I'm in no position to recommend it for anyone else. Theirs probably a balance in it somewhere. And you can be damned sure if I'm ever a parent I'm going to tread lightly between "my child should learn to program, go to college, etc." and "my child needs to live a happy, normal, life". That why it's a "for better or for worse" mentality in my opinion. We don't really know which is best do we?
  - trentmb 11y ago
    > Despite a certain illusion of sociality involved in these activities, I am of the opinion that they are uniquely anti-social Makes me wonder about my 'choices'- did my anti-social tendencies arise from my interest in programming (and math, etc.), or did it drive me to them?
    - farnsworth 11y ago
      I think about the same thing quite a lot. I remember having anti-social tendencies from a really young age. No idea why, I was just rarely interested in other kids. So I spent a lot of time dicking around with my computer. That paid off, but I got a little better with social skills later on after working at it. I always wonder how my life would be different if I didn't have all the computer escapism and worked on social skills earlier.
  - jwdunne 11y ago
    This is exactly my education path. The great thing was my MMO opened up both the client and server for development so I learned to program using GScript. God awful language in hindsight but addictive. I eventually spent more time developing for the game than I did playing it. That was god awful too since you had to pay to develop content for their game!
  - masterminding 11y ago
    I'm the opposite. Got all my social out the way early and am eager to be anti-social and increase my earnings potential. Greener grass theory.
  - johnmaguire2013 11y ago
    This is exactly what I was getting at, thanks. :)

Havoc 11y ago

>leaves you with a much more analytic way of thinking, for better or worse. I'm curious why you say "for better or worse"? (Not judging either way - just curious as to your thinking)

bjones22 11y ago
Not OP, but I'd like to chime in here. Getting good with computers is often best done by spending a large amount of time on computers. For many of "us" that involved teenage years playing MMORPGs, general programming, IRC, etc. Despite a certain illusion of sociality involved in these activities, I am of the opinion that they are uniquely anti-social, and thus were in one way or another a deprivation of my childhood. Sure I now have a much higher earnings potential. But was it worth it? I don't know. And thus I'm in no position to recommend it for anyone else. Theirs probably a balance in it somewhere. And you can be damned sure if I'm ever a parent I'm going to tread lightly between "my child should learn to program, go to college, etc." and "my child needs to live a happy, normal, life". That why it's a "for better or for worse" mentality in my opinion. We don't really know which is best do we?
- trentmb 11y ago
  > Despite a certain illusion of sociality involved in these activities, I am of the opinion that they are uniquely anti-social Makes me wonder about my 'choices'- did my anti-social tendencies arise from my interest in programming (and math, etc.), or did it drive me to them?
  - farnsworth 11y ago
    I think about the same thing quite a lot. I remember having anti-social tendencies from a really young age. No idea why, I was just rarely interested in other kids. So I spent a lot of time dicking around with my computer. That paid off, but I got a little better with social skills later on after working at it. I always wonder how my life would be different if I didn't have all the computer escapism and worked on social skills earlier.
- jwdunne 11y ago
  This is exactly my education path. The great thing was my MMO opened up both the client and server for development so I learned to program using GScript. God awful language in hindsight but addictive. I eventually spent more time developing for the game than I did playing it. That was god awful too since you had to pay to develop content for their game!
- masterminding 11y ago
  I'm the opposite. Got all my social out the way early and am eager to be anti-social and increase my earnings potential. Greener grass theory.
- johnmaguire2013 11y ago
  This is exactly what I was getting at, thanks. :)