Ok its been awhile since I've be involved in a meme of any sort ... and since Jim Holmes tagged me .. I guess I'm it:)
How old were you when you started programming?
Depends on the definition of 'programming'. I started writing simple BASIC programs in 3rd or 4th grade on a VIC-20, then moved to Commodore 64 in 6th grade (at home) and an Apple //e at school. The computer camp between 5th and 6th grades is probably where I first wrote any useful programs, all the others were simple things like programs to do my math homework problems (when I didn't have to show my work).
How did you get started in programming?
Actually not sure on this one. I was a quiet kid and liked to take things apart and spend time figuring things out ... my guess is I found a manual that came with the Vic 20 (remember those paper books you used to get with hardware and software? )
What was your first language?
Commodore's flavor of BASIC
What was the first real program you wrote?
Again, not sure on this one and I'm sure it depends on what you consider a 'real program'. Is a program that takes inputs and multiplies two numbers really a program? I'm sure that is probably the level of stuff I was doing (besides the Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion programs that seemed to be the hello world programs back then).
What languages have you used since you started programming?
Here is the list in the order I remember them learning them in:
- Commodore Basic
- Apple Basic
- MS-DOS batch files (bought an IBM PS/2 Model 25 when I was in high school)
- WordBasic (office 95)
- VBA
- VB
- SQL - on Sybase(is that a programming language?)
- HTML (loved the dhtml in IE 4)
- CSS
- VBScript (ASP)
- XML
- XSLT
- JavaScript
- Coldfusion
- SQL - on Oracle 9
- SQL - Sql Server
- Java
- C#
- MSIL
- C (not really advanced stuff)
- C++ (no really big applications)
- VB.Net
I've currently been using C# for the past 2+ years ... which is my favorite so far
What was your first professional programming gig?
Boston, MA - I was a Programmer Analyst for an insurance company. Applications were mostly in VB with Sybase backend, then started adding some web sites using ASP.
If you knew the what you know now, would you have started programming?
Yes, without a doubt ... if I had to do it over again, I would have taken some computer classes in college instead of focusing on International Business and Spanish ... however - I would not give up that year I spent studying in Mexico for anything (especially compsci classes).
If there is one thing you learned along the way that you would tell new developers, what would it be?
Depends on the person. I believe one of the most important things to know is to know how you learn things the best.
If you learn from examples, get involved in some open source projects or create your own project and learn all you can.
If you learn from books, find the authors you learn the most from (all authors have different styles of explaining - figure out what works for you) and read, read, read.
If you learn from classes, find the best professor/instructor/teacher you can afford and go take their classes.
Quality in your learning materials can really make a difference - usually the difference is between wasting time and making the most of it.
What's the most fun you've ever had ... programming?
It is difficult to pick just one, so I won't. However, I will describe what all the "most fun" times on projects have had in common:
- Great coworkers - who are dedicated and as smart as you are, if not smarter - usually they've all been smarter than me in my case :)
- A sense of teamwork and responsibility
- A great and worthy cause to believe in and work towards
- A sense of urgency (to some degree - not unsustainable but something to make you reach)
- And timing that is at the beginning of either a new technology or a new product (or at least a newer technology not widely used yet)
As is the tradition with these things, I'll tag some people I think would have great answers to these questions to see if they respond:
Greg McKinley
Robert Hurlbut
Ernie Booth
Peli
Sam Gentile
Ted Neward