Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to your younger self?

Posted by alexholehouse on Sunday October 16, 2011 @04:12PM
from the ask-hn dept.

What languages, skills, or just general ideas/topics would you recommend your younger self focus more on, develop and work with. What things do you find yourself using every day, and similarly, what things could you have comfortably survived not slogging away on. Not limited to computing or technology (e.g. public speaking, networking etc).

( 9 comments | 6 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by frou_dh on Sunday October 16, 2011 @04:40PM (#3118240)

I'd recommend my younger self to lay off the gaming and latterly web browsing so that the computer could be considered more a tool for creation than an entertainment device.

It's a bit sad that I didn't write a line of code until I started university despite mammoth computer time.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by jcarden on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:28PM (#3118356)

Yeah, this is a general theme that I've come to realize in recent years. FML but it is never too late to start. Regret is past-tense decision making.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by abbasmehdi on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:11PM (#3118311)

IMHO, that is like saying I wish I became a painter before becoming an art lover (from a consumer POV). I think you're being too hard on yourself here.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by frou_dh on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:40PM (#3118376)

There's definitely the initial formation of interest, but beyond that I'm conflicted as to whether such computer use is a clear ramp up.

As a gamer (who also went on to develop games), I think I may be one of the few such people that doesn't fly off the handle in a dismissive rage upon coming across a 'games are bad' article or sentiment. I've no doubt that, for example, thousands of rounds of running around Counterstrike maps shooting people was a net negative for intellect and general mental health.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by jtardie on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:18PM (#3118332)

It's too easy to lose yourself in gaming/browsing. I was aware that I was passionate about the web long before I decided to 'learn' it.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by jcarden on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:27PM (#3118348)

Formal logic, probability, statistics, Microeconomics, information theory, game theory, artificial intelligence, databases, web-programming, math, more math and math.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by DanWaterworth on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:28PM (#3118357)

I'd recommend learning functional programming from the beginning for myself.

In fact, I'd recommend that everyone's first language should be a functional one. It would make my life, convincing everyone that referential transparency and immutable state are good things, so much easier.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by jtardie on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:17PM (#3118329)

Self-awareness, financial intelligence, and confidence in doing the things you enjoy will always get you far.

Aside from that, I'd love to be further ahead with geospatial python and statistics than where I am now.

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Re:Ask HN: What (technical) skills would you recommend to yo... by ben_hall on Sunday October 16, 2011 @05:47PM (#3118391)

Understand maths, algorithms and game theory.

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