smcculloch posted on August 08, 2008 08:02
After seeing the following questions on a few of the core DotNetNuke blogs here and here. I thought I would post mine..
How old were you when you first started programming?
Not until university, so 18 (1997). Prior to that, I was more interested in the desktop/server side of IT.
How did you get started in programming?
University.
What was your first language?
C++
What was the first real program you wrote?
Silly uni assignments like converting roman numerals to numbers, although I did spend a fair amount of time working on MUDS (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD) in my teenage years.
What languages have you used since you started programming?
C, C++, Java, VB6, VBA, VB.NET, C#.NET, Python.
What was your first professional programming gig?
eCommerce prototype for BHP Billiton (www.bhpbilliton.com).
If you knew then what you know now, would you have started programming?
Absolutely, there are not many occupations that offer the challenges and opportunities that programming does.
If there is one thing you learned along the way that you would tell new developers, what would it be?
Focus on challenging yourself by chasing the (exciting) work rather than the money. If your not doing something new on a regular basis, it's time to move on.
What's the most fun you ever had programming?
Probably working on game code (MUD, Neverwinter Nights, etc) and than using the results on friends! I wish things like the XNA toolkit (creators.xna.com) were available when I was a teenager.
What's the most fun you've ever had... programming?
Close, but I love gaming and most forms of it! (computer/console, card games, board games, miniatures, pen & paper, etc)