Re:Ask HN: What's the one thing that let you grow the most a...
by peckrob on Friday March 03, 2017 @12:56PM
(#13784674)
> The noobs have a "sandbox" to play in by modifying the game. First they follow tutorials or copy/paste code into patches. But eventually something remarkable happens when they start to modify that logic to accomplish their own goals. It's at that moment a programmer is born.
This is almost exactly my first programming experience.
I discovered GORILLAS.BAS [0] on our family computer and, after playing it for awhile, discovered that I could change things about the game by modifying the strange text on the screen. First I was changing colors. Then simple drawing changes. Eventually, I had a version that replaced the buildings with mountains and the gorillas with artillery guns. Gave it out on floppies to a few friends with simple instructions on how to play it.
It was at that moment that I realized I had created something pretty awesome. Never forgotten how that felt.
The same applies to game mods (minecraft now, warcraft3 years ago) where people love playing a game, get introduced to mods, and then make one for themselves. Each modding community has a field of experts with the same passion for the game as noobs. The experts produce documentation and sample code for the noobs.
The noobs have a "sandbox" to play in by modifying the game. First they follow tutorials or copy/paste code into patches. But eventually something remarkable happens when they start to modify that logic to accomplish their own goals. It's at that moment a programmer is born.
How many people started programming by modding games in a hex editor?
How about installing phpBB mods on a forum for your favorite game? That's how I got started.
How about editing jailbreak themes or tweaks?
Or running some metasploit module against your printer?
Or setting up your arduino to run Xbmc?
The common thread is that these are all sandbox environments; games, pluggable open source software, jailbroken phones, emulators, arduinos. Every sandbox also has a community of experts backing it and providing an invaluable service to noobs. These communities serve as an entry point for self-selecting, motivated autodidacts to gain exposure to programming. These are likely the people who become the most prolific, or at least passionate, programmers later in their career.