Learning to Code? What's the rush?

Question

I just read an interesting article titled: Do slower programmers get there faster?
http://jaxenter.com/slow-programming-112923.html 
At this point in time I'm not too fussed about getting anywhere specifically. I'm still on a learning journey. I've been learning to code for 2 years now and when I started I did some research on learning to become a good programmer. My take away
was that it takes quite a while to get any good at it. I'm working on a 5 to 10 year learning path.
So after 2 years of SB I've learnt the language and some good programming techniques so that I can program with it. Towards the end of that period I've finally began to gain a good understanding of what SB is good for, albeit this understanding
is subjective but always open to new thoughts.
My next language after SB was C# - a different language with a bigger library. It's gunna take me years to learn that one and how to use it. No biggie, i'll most likely be still alive in 5 years from now.
Now I'm at the point where I want wrap up my learning with SB. I figure my own "show what you know" project might be the way to go here. This will require applying everything I've learnt about Programming so far. A holistic approach. I bet I learn
lots in the process.
Picking up new languages along the way.
While doing my wrap up I've began to learn/pick up HTLM5, CSS3 and some server/client side scripting. While doing this I put down one language to focus on another, a learning technique I find helpful. My best solutions come to me when I'm doing something
else (often when I'm not even in front of a computer).
My thoughts on Slow Programming:
I think Slow isn't the best word. I prefer to get as deep understanding into what I do as I can. This is so I can successfully do lots with what I understand. If this makes feel slower at times then that's ok. The very question addressed in the article
was "do slower programmers get there faster?"
Re-learning can be difficult and very time consuming and is often the goto after getting there lightning fast.
But you still need write and finish programs. Sometimes they don't work - more learning required. I like it when something works! My own slowness comes from a desire to not just know that it works, but why it works. A deeper understanding.

Answer 1

Hello Jibba Jibba,
I agree and follow your learning philosophy: self taught learning. As Isaac Asimov once said, “Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind
of education there is.” When I learn, I want to understand programming in depth and understand how everything works. Not just learn the skills, I'm trying to figure out how to enter the programming world as a professional. How do I make myself stand out? Will
a college degree give me the technical, social, and practical skills to enter the work force? Most of all, I want to challenge myself and grow as a programmer. With each program I write, I try to pick up new techniques that can be applied in programming in
general. At it's core, It's the reasoning skills and techniques gained that matter, not the syntax and countless jargon that surrounds programming. Most importantly, I want to become a problem solver and not a walking rule book.
I started learning programming with small basic about six months ago. Initially, it was the most confusing task and I couldn't understand any of it. Programming required a whole new
mind set, patience, and persistence. The first couple weeks I had to understand how programming worked and adapt to a “computational thinking” mindset. These last few months, I realized that I could learn the basis of programming with unconventional means.
In other words, I may not have to rely heavily on college to pursue my career (or become educated). I respect college institutions and love to learn, but I realized that I could continue learning beyond school. I wanted to instilled this philosophy, life long
learning, in my mind as a second nature. That got me thinking. What's the point of college? How can I duplicate it so I can teach myself but still get into the work force? What skills do employers look for? What are the traits and skills of a proficient programmer?
The article you provided is very insightful and its contents is exactly what I seek. As a consequence, I wanted to approach my learning style in a more pragmatic style. Learning through extensive practicing but also challenging myself to learn something new
and grow as an individual.
On the contrary, self taught learning does lack social interaction. That's why, I must find people who share my goals and ambitions so I could
learn to work in a team setting. Also, not just work with people to improve my skills but also meet people that work for a company so I could get connections. Get first hand advice from someone who has worked as a programmer professionally. What do companies
look for in a programmer? What makes the difference between a good programmer and bad one? Can I get a part time/full time internship through this company? I want to get exposed to the work field as soon as I can. Learn to apply my skills on a professional
level and gain practical skills. Sometimes it's not how well I know my craft but my personality as well that could propel me in the work force. Although, I may not have the resources I can get in a college, I could use the growing resources from the internet
to move forward. I don't need to wait for college to start educating myself.
Finally, life long perseverance is at the heart of learning and becoming successful, not financially so but
rather as an individual. As far as I know, it's physically impossible to master one's craft. The craft is so long and life so short. Self teaching is part of the life of a computer programmer or, truly, in any profession. As technology advances, the demand
for programmers with the latest skills is always in demand. It's a life long pursuit. Therefore, one should learn to love learning because one will have commit to life long learning to survive as a computer programmer.
I want to start out as a Computer Programmer, move on to become an Applications Software Developer, and in
my later years become an Indie Game Developer in Japan.
What inspired you to learn programming? Do you, if at all, work with a group of programmers or people that have the same goals? How do you approach
the social and resource limitations that comes with self taught learning? Could you elaborate on “show what you know project”? I'm coming close to dividing my time between using small basic and learning a new language, most likely C#, and welcome any project
ideas.
Disclaimer: I may have used computer programmer and software developer interchangeably so I apologize for any inconsistency, but I am aware they
play different roles in the software development process. Computer programmer: writes code and software developer: plans, instruct programmers, and writes code. Sometimes, when a programmer gains enough experience they are promoted as developers. A quick word
about college. I may still attend college and get a degree in the future but at the moment it doesn't agree well with my plans. I may mix it up by teaching myself and get certificates. There are several options. Everyone will approach their career pursuits
a bit differently. What may work for me may not work for other people. It's good to explore all possible options. For some, college is the best option for them. Whichever way, one will need to be willing to learn and have plenty of self motivation.
Here is an article that rhymes with your thinking.
http://norvig.com/21-days.html
Another article that is more loosely based on this discussion but nonetheless relates to programming and prompts some interesting points.
http://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/06/computer-science-programming-code-diversity-sexism-education