How many of you have programming as a hobby?

[the dsc]

I was wondering. Are there many people who know how to code programs (beyond bash/korn/similar scripts), eventually creating an "entirely" (except for libs and subcomponents that are commonly shared by applications) new application or at least some patches for common software, but that do that only as a hobby, working in a totally different area for a living?

And, as a subset of these, are there many to whom programming was just a hobby from the start, never intended as a job?

If you're on the later category, how long did it take to get as proficient as you are?

[hazel]

Well, I do, but I don't know if it's a hobby or an addiction. I started doing it at work; someone showed me simple Basic programming and I found it a huge kick to actually order a computer to do what I wanted. I wrote an input program in Fortran for our library catalogue and quite a lot of scripts.

After I retired I started using Linux and decided to teach myself C. The fact that Linux libraries are so well documented encouraged me to play about. I wrote a little gtk-based desktop furniture package (mainly a buttonbar and a mount tool) and I'm now working on a music writing and printing program.

I only write things that I need for myself. If I have a problem and I think I could write a program to solve it, then I do.

[samsonite2010]

I started programming as a teenager for fun, but I do it for a job now. I have used about 20 or more languages so far - I find it quite fun, but I also enjoy doing the business side of things more too - seeing how you can use programming to solve real problems or make a business run better.

[the dsc]

I've also "started" with Basic, but I pretty much stood there, and not far from the basics, if you forgive the pun. I did one thing or another with some other stuff, perhaps clipper or pascal, I don't remember, maybe both, but it was just a one time thing really.

It still boggles me that for C and other languages for grown-ups you can't run the code you just wrote, but instead you have to compile. It's not uncommon that I'll need to write a bash script in functional slices and test each one separatedly to then tie them together. Gosh, even for just the command "find" I have to google/look back in the history for the correct syntax all the time.

I believe real programmers are actually part of secret organization like the Freemasons or the Stonecutters, where they have access to some tool that allows them to do with C and other languages just like non-initiates do with bash.

And knowing that someone actually/allegedly can know "20 languages" just adds to my suspicions. Probably there is some universal syntax translator, so, in the end, one only needs to know something like basic or logo and this secret program just translates it to proper C or whatever.

I'll probably learn 20 spoken languages before I can learn two computer languages to a reasonable good degree of know-how.

[samsonite2010]

Ha ha, there is a comparison to be made with spoken languages. If you learn a latin based language, you will quickly learn the other ones.

Once you fully understand one or two programming languages, you will pick up other languages more quickly. There are many fundamentals which remain fairly constant across languages, like the use of datatypes and general programming techniques - these form the basis of programming. You get taught to write pseudo-code for designing parts of a program - the idea is that this can be translated into any language once you learn the syntax.

I hate to say it but if you want to run code you have just written by clicking a button, you need Visual Studio (C# .Net) on Windows! I no longer use Windows much at all, but I have yet to find a comparable programming environment. I actually learned a lot of my skills in Visual Studio - it teaches you the syntax as you type (and you can hit "play" to see the results straight away). Now I do a lot of open source programming and I'm happy to try new languages and just use a nice text editor!

If you put the effort in, you should get somewhere.

[nujinini]

I'm now working on a music writing and printing program.
.

I really hope I can give this a try Hazel. I mean when your done with it.

[hazel]

I really hope I can give this a try Hazel. I mean when your done with it.

I doubt if I will ever finish it! I work on it in spurts when I'm in the mood. The "print" program, which turns the data file into a png image of a stave and notes, works more or less. The actual writing program, which creates the file, is sufficiently far advanced that I can write simple cello parts, then print them out. I am working now on the program for editing the file by writing out one line at a time so that you can make alterations.

Eventually I would like to add programs for playing the files, and for transcribing them into different keys. That's way out on the horizon.

If you'd like to play around with it, I could send you some code files, but they're very buggy and there's no documentation. Also it only works in bass clef at the moment!

[nujinini]

If you'd like to play around with it, I could send you some code files, but they're very buggy and there's no documentation.

Thanks but I think code files might be somewhat of no use for my ability as of the moment.

I'd rather wait when you can make it more stable and I will be your first "lab rat" volunteer if ever.

[Rubberman]

So Hazel, I assume you play the cello? My sister played viola in the Royal Phil for about 20 years. I used to play violin, but mostly just mandolin (bluegrass and trad) these days.

[nujinini]

Since we've started to talk music, may I share that I also used to play violin when I was much younger. I was already doing "third position" when I stopped. I play guitar, drums, bass, organ, and my first love which is choir training & conducting. Used to join choral competitions and won most of those. I also became a national singing champion many years back. I think that was 50 or 55 pounds ago. Not quite sure . It was our own version of AI, way back then. Modesty aside..