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The Realities of Codecademy

by JohnnyDeez
14 replies
I've been a web developer for a couple of years now. Started with HTML, CSS, and manipulating WordPress sites for friends and employers. Pretty typical really.

Eventually I realized that I wanted to dig deeper and go further down the path, to really learn some programming languages. Which, is when I started working on PHP.

I'm still no master, but I've come a long way.

The Realities of Programming
Recently, I started working through the JavaScript tutorial on Codecademy's website. It's great! I really wish something like this had existed for me a few years ago, as I feel like it would have eliminated a lot of frustration for a newbie programmer. It's tough to understand what's going on if you've never learned a programming language before. But a lot of people invest 10 - 30 hours into something like this and then complain because they aren't able to build any applications.

So, here is my point.

Working through a tutorial on a site like Codecademy, or anywhere for that matter, is just an intro. If you're new to programming, you're going to have to invest a lot of hours learning about functions, OOP, syntax, recursion, etc... And a lot of that time is going to be insanely frustrating. Don't expect to leave a program in school or online ready to rock. It doesn't often happen.

However, here is the kicker.

If you ARE willing to invest some hours in hard study. IF you ARE willing to sit in front of your text editor for three hours trying to sort something out, you will eventually have the skills to make significant $$$ on the internet.

Programmers are in demand. And, it's a great profession that you can do from your laptop.

Anyway, I just want to give some hope to the people who are frustrated and aren't sure if programming / web development is for them.

Worry not; with enough hard work, you'll get there. And the benefits are worth the rewards.

Also, on the same line of thinking, check out this blog. It's all about sticking with it --> Study Hacks

Note: No spammy - That's not my blog and I don't know that guy. ;-)
#codecademy #realities
  • Profile picture of the author chretit
    Reading your post got me thinking about something I’ve been wondering about. There are some people who seem to be natural programmers. This is the first group. There are kids who are drawn to programming from an early age, early teens, usually. They spend all their time practicing and getting better and eventually they become sought-after specialists.

    They don’t have to “stick at it” it’s their calling in life and often they sacrifice other facets of their development to become awesome programmers.

    The second group consist of people who are drawn to technology but they’re not able to focus on it to the extent the first group of guys/gals can (although it’s mostly guys, currently). And when I mean focus I mean an obsessive drive that some seem to possess.

    I think you’re talking about the second group. And if they persevere and keep plugging away one day they will be knowledgeable professionals. They will never be IT legends but because they combine their technical skills with other character traits that they developed while not programming they will be successful in different ways.

    I know one guy who prefers hiring programmers who don’t seem to have any other “distracting” interests. He says it’s all about pie slices. The bigger one slice is, the smaller the other slices will be. So he wants people with just one slice. These are top specialists.

    Another guy has a completely opposite view. When he hires technical staff he gets a wide range of people who are as at home in a bar as they’re in front of the screen. They are more likely to start their own businesses later on.

    How much time are we prepared to invest into any particular thing? Well, right now I'm posting on a forum, darn, that says it all, really. :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnnyDeez
      Thanks for the input!

      Yeah, it's always nice when you find something you really like and are good at early in life. That wasn't the case for me, so yes, I would be in the second group.

      However, I'm not sure that to successful as a programmer you have slave away or neglect other parts of your life. It's a trade and a skill, just like any other. And, there are plenty of good Architects, Engineers, Programmers, Teachers, etc... who, while practiced and hardworking, still have relatively balanced lives.

      Certainly some sacrifices must be made to get really good at something. But, you made an excellent point in bringing up the two different people who have separate hiring philosophies when it comes to programmers.

      You don't have to be able to build Facebook in a month in order to get paid, and get paid well, as a programmer. Being competent, friendly and delivering work on time is usually more than enough. I would say many people could reach that point inside of 3 years... maybe less.
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  • Profile picture of the author chretit
    Hey, Johnny

    Yeah, most of us are in the second group. The first group are few and far between like in any profession, I guess.

    I don’t know if you heard an anecdote about Isaac Stern (a world-class violinist, I don’t know much about him - pardon my ignorance) but, apparently, a fan approached him and gushed, “I would give my life to play like you!” He replied, “I did!”

    3 years to become competent at programming sounds encouraging. Have you heard the 10,000 hours rule? As in it takes that amount of practice to master a skill. I've just run the numbers (calculator and all) and it works out just short of 5 years. Assuming you work on it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. The conclusion? “No way, that’s way too long, not gonna bother!” :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnnyDeez
    Chretit,

    I have heard of the 10,000 hour rule. I'm a big fan of Malcolm Gladwell.

    Yeah, 5 years is a long time to dedicate to something. But, the way I see it is that you're going to spend your working life doing SOMETHING. If you're working a job that has a future and could allow you to master something rare and valuable, I'm all about that. But, 5 years and 40 hours will pass whether you dedicate that time to something or not.

    Most people aren't going to be able to put that kind of time into something consistently. Family, jobs, fun, etc... will likely get in the way. So, I'd say it's probably more like 10 years to mastery.

    Still, you don't have to be a world-class expert to be a good programmer. 200 hours of solid practice and education will get you billing clients. 500 hours and you'll be pretty decent at some facet. 1,000 - 2,000 you'll be sought after in the field for work. 5,000+ will put you leagues above 90% of other programmers.

    Anyway, just some food for thought.
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  • Profile picture of the author wayfarer
    Rules like the 10,000 hour rule are nice (I'm sure I've done well over that, counting my childhood), but it's only a figurative representation of a practical reality: it takes a long time to become truly proficient at any high-level skill. Programming is definitely one of those things.

    The difference, however, between programming, and say, classical music, is that in classical music, the instruments never change. In software development, or web development, technology is an ever-changing beast. In truth, we have no idea what is the next big development in the tech field is, and who will be writing software for it. How many people predicted smart-phones and tablets as they are today? And yet there are hundreds of thousands of people writing software for them.

    The fact that people can teach themselves to write code, and do it well, is very promising for the future of the industry, since the career is almost by definition one of learning. But the demands of the industry have also grown, and there is more demand for people who can work with known frameworks, in addition to standard operating systems, libraries, and programming languages. Because of this, the industry does shed people, as some are not quick enough to adapt to the changing landscape. So to say there is a demand for new programmers is almost an understatement.

    10 years to mastery sounds about right to me. I'm not there yet, and still feel like I'm learning new things every day. Even after 10 years, I don't expect the learning to stop. The reason it takes so long is that you learn the most by working with other people, working on their code, documenting your own, and collaborating to build systems. I get to collaborate every day with someone riding 30+ years of experience, which is a blessing.
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  • Profile picture of the author MyNiches
    Saw the link in your sig and thought it sounded familiar but couldn't pinpoint it.. then I realized "Oh snap, it's John from ASF's site!"

    Thanks for this post, good stuff, really dig your work man!
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  • Profile picture of the author lisag
    My husband is a natural born programmer, which is odd because he turns 60 this year. None the less, he fell into programming when he was in his late 20s, loved it and has done it ever since. He still can't believe people pay him to do something he loves so much.
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    -- Lisa G

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    • Profile picture of the author alfa_375
      Originally Posted by lisag View Post

      My husband is a natural born programmer, which is odd because he turns 60 this year. None the less, he fell into programming when he was in his late 20s, loved it and has done it ever since. He still can't believe people pay him to do something he loves so much.
      Lol! Lot of applause to your husband, don't ask me why I am writing this. I myself is around 40 years and love being a programmer. I tried to switch my field with different things like CAD Designing, Internet Marketing, Article writing even Graphic Designing. But I was never comfortable with all of those stuff. I don't know why?

      My younger brother, when he sees me doing PHP/MYSQL based script coding or trouble shooting for different clients, he envoy my passion. Says how you make busy yourself in such kind of programming thing.

      Actually, I think when I write code and something gets created and that works smoothly, I just enjoy that feeling and that makes me going.

      Also it is true that, people appreciate the work, but not ready to pay enough. That is another side of the reality.

      That is why addiction of anything is not good in my opinion. No matter whatever it is!!!

      Smart people or rich people always take decision at the right time and right place, and they understand the things which are working and not working for them very well. That is why they are rich.
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  • Profile picture of the author chretit
    Hi, Lisa,

    It's not odd, it's great! I bet, even with 30 years of experience under his belt, he still feels like he's learning something everyday. Like someone mentioned earlier.

    He must be very passionate about programming that it compelled you to mention him in this thread! But I'm sure he doesn't spend all the time coding otherwise, you wouldn't be so enthusiastic about it.
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  • Profile picture of the author ALittleTF
    Just started learning python on coursera.org and I love it. Definitely knew i wouldnt be a master by the end but its an awesome introduction. Ive learned so much about the tech world in the last month, cant wait to see what ive learned in a 6 months, a year, 5+. Great post.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnnyDeez
    @Wayfarer

    You've made some EXCELLENT points there. I agree that the 10,000 hour rule is more of a 'guideline'. More specifically, if you spend 10,000 hours working 90% on what you already know, you're not going to get very far. However, if you push the envelope, constantly forcing yourself to learn and evolve, you'll definitely walk away with some amazing skills.

    I also agree with your second point on learning from others. Getting into group projects where you can collaborate with programmers and developers more advanced than you will really help up your game.

    @MyNiches

    Hey thanks! I've definitely tried to work hard for them, so I'm glad people appreciate some of it. PM me if you ever want to chat.

    @lisag

    Awesome. I wish I was, but it's been a tough rode! (albeit, a fun one.)

    @ALittleTF

    Stick with it! Python is an awesome language, and according to this --> Code Wars: Ruby vs Python vs PHP [Infographic]
    one of the best to learn.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnnyDeez
    Great thoughts 723Media,

    I would agree that it definitely helps to love the work. But, as with any job, sometimes it is just - work. I enjoy solving unique problems, I enjoy design, and I enjoy learning new programming languages (or diving deeper into the ones I know). But sometimes it is a grind. So, even if it isn't your favorite thing, I would advise people to stick with it if they want to develop some valuable skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

    Thanks for the reply!
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  • Profile picture of the author chretit
    Hey, Alfa_375!

    Two things come to mind:
    1) I love your enthusiasm!!!
    2) Can I please have some of what you're smoking? Please?

    (a genuine request)

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