13 replies to this topic

[Enthusiastic for Sense]

In the beginning at my first "Hello World" program I felt like this was it ... that was my talent, goal, ability, skill.

Now I feel as if I'm better off stopping and not wasting anymore time.

Most OOP I don't use because I don't prefer OOP ways, APIs are a pain in the ass, there's way too many different areas of programming, mathematics and ways of working to even put together efficiently and imagine an actual working program - I disagree with how most of programming language tools work, there's too many complicating theories in programming and algorithms, there's too many ways to do everyday and there's no standstill or breaking point anywhere - it's all just a mess you have to organize from nothing, but you NEVER become good at it because it never ends.

So how is that fun for me? I wanted to program, get better and actually be one of the best - but the quick road where programming goes from fun to hate is too quick to even point out.

When I started entering REAL game programming I just kept getting frustrated with how none of my coding styles worked, nothing worked right, it took hell to get simple things working to realize that you're doing it wrong, stop it, find out how to do it right and go through more hell trying to understand countless algorithms, ways of handling collision, image drawing, depth, math involved, understanding of programming components as a whole, the behind the scenes work, debugger problems, linker problems, inability to remember 50% of everything I do.

I've been into programming for over five years, and boy does it sure as hell smack you in the face and the fun ends right after you move from beginner up - what kind of thing is that?

Fun shouldn't end, but in the sense of how programming works and is done today, does fun ever really start, or is programming just for certain people?

Not that I can't think logically, but I always ALWAYS fall short with everything and end up having to copy everything else and never learn anything because I fail at remembering every piece, how and why it works and how it's relevant to me.

It's just too much work and stress put in and nothing I want coming out.

I spent my whole life putting in 100% and getting out 1%. There's no action-reaction in my favor...

Programming is just a recap of failure ... so you think I should give up on it?

[Reedbeta]

If you're not enjoying what you're doing, it's certainly a possibility that programming isn't a good fit for you. You might be much happier doing something else.

On the other hand, it's also possible that making a change to the way you study and learn will help you work through these difficulties. Maybe taking a class or finding someone to mentor you would be helpful. I know in some subjects I learn better from a class than from just reading and studying on my own. (If you take classes about programming, though, they're going to make you do OOP at some point. )

Oddly enough, I was randomly reading this essay just now, and it mentions some similar-sounding kinds of frustrations to what you talked about.

[Enthusiastic for Sense]

Dude, I'm a professional-level programming expert and I'm studying hardware engineering from my father and mother.

I schemed you all! XD

I'm Andy Harglesis, and I've been programming since I was 3(well, not ACTUALLY programming, but yeah).

I was messing with you all! I have no problems with OOP, Typedefs, etc. All of that is old news and it's easy.

I'm even working on OS development now.

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http://www.youtube.com/andyharglesis

[fireside]

I'll never quite understand the motive for that, but at least your topics were fairly interesting. I know one guy on another site pretended to be one of the young kids that wanted to make an MMO and was asking for advice. I don't get it. There's a ton of people like that so you can't lose. People will take you at your word. Actually, I almost feel sorry for beginners asking questions because they get so much conflicting advice. Everyone is only an expert to a degree at best. If they're expert programmers, they haven't used very many engines or modelers or whatever, and they are generally expert in one language. I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. I'll never know as much as a person who focuses on one thing, but I'm fine with it.

[geon]

Can we just ban him already?

Seriously. Several people have spent a lot of time on him, trying to help, while he's just trolling. What an asshole.

[alphadog]

 geon, on 06 January 2012 - 11:38 AM, said:

Can we just ban him already?

Actually, if we give him his little victory (he is a kid after all) and keep the material that he generated, I think it's a win-win for everyone. I agree a little less "assholiness" would have made this a better experience, but hey, he may have problems that he can't help, so I vote to let him have his fifteen minutes...

[Stainless]

ahh alphadog has a warm and fuzzy side.

[alphadog]

[Enthusiastic for Sense]

[Jastiv]

Aw, now, I wanted to ask that exact question. That was mean you took it up as a troll. I read that article about study skills, and sitting down and studying it, but the problem is, I don't know how to study it. Am I just supposed to memorize code like it is a list of vocabulary words? Am I supposed to keep solving little problems like add up ten integers in one main java class and click a button to display the answer over and over? I don't see how I am supposed to progress to actually developing network applications, and the article had no real hints in it, just some story about a kid who struggled in college and asked his roommate.

I don't think people like me, and I don't think people want to waste any time helping me either.

[Stainless]

You are lucky these days, you have the internet. When I started, if you couldn't work it out yourself, you couldn't do it.

Think of something you would like to do. If you are into role playing games, decide to do a character generator. If you are in to fishing, write a program you can record catches / baits / location etc.

You have to have something YOU want to do, otherwise just give up now.

Once you have decided what you want to write, get yourself a development system. There are plenty of free ones. Which you pick depends on what you want to write.

Once you are ready to go, break down the task into small sub tasks. Say "create a window", "print a welcome" message" or something as simple as that as your first one, then use the internet to research how to do it.

Once you have done that, work out your next task, research that, etc. etc. etc. until you have a working program that does what you want to do.

[geon]

 Jastiv, on 19 January 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:

Am I just supposed to memorize code like it is a list of vocabulary words?

Nope. That won't help you until you already understand how to use them.

 Jastiv, on 19 January 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:

Am I supposed to keep solving little problems like add up ten integers in one main java class and click a button to display the answer over and over? I don't see how I am supposed to progress to actually developing network applications

Well, kind of.

Do the examples in whatever book, or tutorial you have, then try changing them a bit. Add some feature, or do something similar, but different.

If you have an example of how to implement sorting, try to get it to sort in reverse. If you have an example of how to add a list of numbers, try finding the average, and mean value.

Once you fell like you understand what each piece of the code example does, an you can figure out how to manipulate them, start writing your own small programs. The first ones will be embarrassingly simple and pointless. Doesn't matter, it's part of the road.

After a while you will be ready to code some small game, like Tetris. Then, a better looking Tetris. Then a simple platformer or rts.

Just realize that you never stop learning. Programming is hard.

[alphadog]

 Jastiv, on 19 January 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:

Aw, now, I wanted to ask that exact question. That was mean you took it up as a troll.

I didn't take it as a troll. The original poster admitted he was trolling! IOW, he reaped what he sowed.

 Jastiv, on 19 January 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:

Am I just supposed to memorize code like it is a list of vocabulary words? Am I supposed to keep solving little problems like add up ten integers in one main java class and click a button to display the answer over and over? I don't see how I am supposed to progress to actually developing network applications

At first, yes. You have to read a simple book on a language of your choice, and get familiar with it. How do you build your first house?

Start with simple tutorials. Get familiar with the tools of the trade (IDEs, libraries, compilers, etc.) in the context of simple, end-of-the-chapter exercises. Also, try to find local user groups or meetups and get to know people that may offer "live" help to you. Although coders tend to be very meritocracy-based, you'd be surprised how many are willing to help a struggling but excited noob. We've all been there. And, it can be refreshing for grognards like me to deal with a genuine, excited junior coder.

 Jastiv, on 19 January 2012 - 07:41 PM, said:

I don't think people like me, and I don't think people want to waste any time helping me either.

Well, the problem may not be you. The problem may be the people you've approached so far?

[Xcrypt]

Quote

I don't think people like me, and I don't think people want to waste any time helping me either.

That is the signature of a troll

My apologies if you aren't, but people don't just write stuff like this anymore on the internet, without having a trolling-intent