> If you haven't programmed before, you may not actually like it. And even if you like it and find it fascinating, programming for your own pleasure is a very

> If you haven't programmed before, you may not actually like it. And even if you like it and find it fascinating, programming for your own pleasure is a very different experience than programming 8+ hours a day with a team of people trying to meet an impossible deadline under pressure from management. After years or decades doing it, the excitement starts to wear off. Also, the culture and work conditions vary a lot between employers. E.g., open office vs. enclosed workspaces; work-life balance vs. spending all your waking hours at the office or partying with your co-workers; contempt for "old" people or people with differing political views vs. a diverse group of people who can get along with each other; etc. Before investing a lot of time and money into this, you may want to spend some time talking to people who've spent years doing it for a living.