Re:Ask HN: How to jump into "real world" programming?
by aaronbrethorst on Sunday December 27, 2009 @12:30AM
(#1016747)
I've always had my greatest success when I scratched a personal itch.
My first released app, iRooster, helped me wake up in time for class, and ended up paying my rent after Apple featured it in a weekly email blast.
My first iPhone app helped me track the daily fluctuations in electoral vote counts between Obama and McCain last year. In the first two weeks, I catapulted into the top 10 paid apps list on the AppStore, spent hours on conference calls with a fair number of bigwigs at Washington Post, and received a very nice writeup from Walt Mossberg.
YMMV, of course, but scratching an itch means you're going to be able to solve a (relatively) real-world problem, probably help other people out, and will definitely increase your long term happiness.
My first released app, iRooster, helped me wake up in time for class, and ended up paying my rent after Apple featured it in a weekly email blast.
My first iPhone app helped me track the daily fluctuations in electoral vote counts between Obama and McCain last year. In the first two weeks, I catapulted into the top 10 paid apps list on the AppStore, spent hours on conference calls with a fair number of bigwigs at Washington Post, and received a very nice writeup from Walt Mossberg.
YMMV, of course, but scratching an itch means you're going to be able to solve a (relatively) real-world problem, probably help other people out, and will definitely increase your long term happiness.
Good luck!