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> The failure confirmed the stereotypes I’d seen on TV, that if you didn’t start writing code at 10, then this wasn’t for you. I always find railing hard for o

> The failure confirmed the stereotypes I’d seen on TV, that if you didn’t start writing code at 10, then this wasn’t for you. I always find railing hard for or against this particular stereotype to be tiring. Both of these things can be true: * The kind of person who starts writing code at 10 might have a huge head starts in terms of acquiring the crystallized intelligence that makes them succeed in this endeavor. Heck, it may even indicate some passion for it that will help them succeed through their entire career anyway. * The market for programming is so strong, and programming itself so fun of a hobby once you reach some critical mass of skill, that it's still worth getting into even if you didn't get into it at 10! A head start is an advantage, but it's not a decisive one in this endeavor. Those competitive lifters they train in mainland China are a much starker example of the kind of thing where it genuinely might not be possible to overcome that head start. If you make it. Which a great many teenagers don't. Even so, nobody in their right mind would claim that to go from no exercise to lifting 2x a week is a bad idea. Focus on what you can do at the margin! The margin is always human scoped by definition! EDIT: Later the OP talks about this very thing in sports. I hereby eat my words. Mean culpa, OP! It's always nice when 2 smart people independently arrive at similar points.

ReactiveJelly 3y ago
As someone who was programming at 10 - Programming sucked back then! Crappy documentation, Linux was harder to install, nobody was around to hold my hand on stupid subtleties like the "define / declare" difference in C / C++. I figure everyone who starts today is probably gaining experience at at least 2-3x the rate I was learning back then. Plus I was a kid, I learn faster now that I know how to learn.
- thrway63245 3y ago
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- ohthatsnotright 3y ago
  When I was ~10 or so, learning C++ by typing in examples from books and realizing the book went to print well before the code it contained could compile was a common occurrence. Sometimes you could send away for a 3.5" floppy with updated code but other times you muddled through or just gave up. This was slightly better than earlier when learning BASIC and the code was from one of the magazines so you had no chance (but the programs were simpler and often more correct).
- hiAndrewQuinn 3y ago
  You yourself are gaining experience at that same rate if not faster today, however. My argument is not "the gap doesn't exist", it's a more humane "you don't need to close it to get a job".
  - ReactiveJelly 3y ago
    I hope so. I haven't learned much the last few years and when I see Justine on here I just want to give up and work at Taco Bell, my true calling

ReactiveJelly 3y ago

As someone who was programming at 10 - Programming sucked back then! Crappy documentation, Linux was harder to install, nobody was around to hold my hand on stupid subtleties like the "define / declare" difference in C / C++. I figure everyone who starts today is probably gaining experience at at least 2-3x the rate I was learning back then. Plus I was a kid, I learn faster now that I know how to learn.

thrway63245 3y ago
[dead]
ohthatsnotright 3y ago
When I was ~10 or so, learning C++ by typing in examples from books and realizing the book went to print well before the code it contained could compile was a common occurrence. Sometimes you could send away for a 3.5" floppy with updated code but other times you muddled through or just gave up. This was slightly better than earlier when learning BASIC and the code was from one of the magazines so you had no chance (but the programs were simpler and often more correct).
hiAndrewQuinn 3y ago
You yourself are gaining experience at that same rate if not faster today, however. My argument is not "the gap doesn't exist", it's a more humane "you don't need to close it to get a job".
- ReactiveJelly 3y ago
  I hope so. I haven't learned much the last few years and when I see Justine on here I just want to give up and work at Taco Bell, my true calling