Re:Being Raised by the Internet
by didgetmaster on Monday September 30, 2024 @12:26PM
(#41699007)
I don't consider the term 'self-taught' to mean that you didn't learn from others. Before the Internet, the local library was the primary source of information. People would go spend an enormous amount of time reading and browsing books written by other people to learn a skill.
I would consider those people to be self taught.
Re:Being Raised by the Internet
by steve_adams_86 on Tuesday October 01, 2024 @05:42PM
(#41714547)
Of course, you're right. I think what I meant to say is that people often emphasize the autodidact aspect of my career, but it feels like it detracts from how lost I would have been without the combination of people generously sharing information, whether it was a tutorial or open source code to reference. It's such an incredible resource we have. But yeah, absolutely, I don't mean to claim there's no self-teaching involved at all.
My childhood was a little bleak in some ways like the author of this post. Not as bleak. But definitely lean times, sick parents, lots of time alone on the internet.
Without that, who knows what would have happened to me. I don’t think but I know deeply that I can help others, both through my experience as a kid being helped and through my experience as an adult mentoring others.
I wish I could write more and do it better, or find some means of giving back better. People have often referred to me as “self-taught”, but the reality is that I was taught by thousands of people. I only had the good fortune that I was willing to seek out their knowledge. I’m extremely grateful for that.