ID:191434
 
My parents are all amazed and crap. They are like "How in the world do you know all these vars and such when your getting a D in Algebra 3". They think its all amazing though. My dad can already program, he's a Guru in Visual Basic and stuff. My friends think its funny to see a big black man as a programmer in C/C++. So they ask me "I thought your dad was a gangstah?" Heh, thats kinda funny, but my mom is gonna start programming in C++ at the College. (Waubonsee Community College) so then she can make me a 3D Engine >:)
They see me everyday,and say nothing.but my grandparents are like,what are you doing..(Making a game.....)oh,thats cool(mumbling: Yeah..)
In response to Siientx
lmao! Dude, my grnadma says "dont those letters and numbers hurt your eyes after starring at em all day?"
In response to Branks
HS! my grandma SAYS THAT TOO.
They don't know. If they knew, they wouldn't understand what it was.
nobody in my family knows i program
They know I do it, but they don't bother me about it.
my parents think im wierd, but they are wierd so we are alll weird and happy, WOOP!!!!
In response to Nadrew
My parents know as well and they try to act interested in it, it's kind of funny but hey, I'm not gonna blame them for trying :p
In response to English
What do my parents think about me programming?

"About time you got a real job!"

(of course they forget I've been doing it off-and-on for nearly 20 years, thanks to my dad who worked for Honeywell as a Systems Analyst for over 30 years... their comment stems from my recent journey into freelancing and turning digitalmouse international into a real programming agency)
people are under the horribly wrong impression that much coding has to do with much math.. math at an 8th grade level is all that is EVER needed in coding.. anything more involved would require a higher level of education but when it comes to the basics, thats all thats needed.

People just want you to waste 3-5 years in college. Do so if you please, but when im a self made made. ill be ignoring every single person who shows up with a college education. ill be scouting for the truly talented.
Branks wrote:
My parents are all amazed and crap. They are like "How in the world do you know all these vars and such when your getting a D in Algebra 3". They think its all amazing though. My dad can already program, he's a Guru in Visual Basic and stuff. My friends think its funny to see a big black man as a programmer in C/C++. So they ask me "I thought your dad was a gangstah?" Heh, thats kinda funny, but my mom is gonna start programming in C++ at the College. (Waubonsee Community College) so then she can make me a 3D Engine >:)

Thats cool, my parents are happy i program in C++, DM, and visual basic.
Before i started programming again, i was in more trouble then a goat in afganistan.

Alatar
My parents seem to think that it makes me a hot commodity in the job market. Every damn ad in the classifieds that has something to do with computers, whether it's staffing a help desk or running networks, my father wants me to apply for. I say, "But dad, I don't have a master's degree in computer science and eight years of experience with Unix systems." He says, "They'll probably settle for less than that, you should send them your resume, I bet they'll be impressed." Yeah, they'll be really impressed with my fluency in a language that's used nowhere in the business world and my stunning portfolio of shareware games.

I did manage to get a couple interviews for web positions, but I didn't get hired. If they're not going to hire me to upload crap to their website, why would they hire me to design the systems that run the company?

Z
In response to Zilal
My father doesn't really bother about it so long as when he finds an error on his computer I am able to fix it.

My mother on the other hand moans sometimes saying "Why do you have such an interest in that mumble jumble?" So I reply with "I like it." The she goes on saying "Why don't you get a job with 'Web-Design' or 'Game-Design' and such?" So I tell her straight.

I am not qualified enough to work as a Web-Designer/Programmer and the same goes for gaming...If I knew how to do things that are based around them more fluently then maybe I would stand a chance.

My brothers just say this to me though: "Lee, if I get some icons and everything will you code them in for me please?"

Most of the time I say "No", but when they ask politely I say "Sure, why not?". (The above was used once by my youngest brother Jonathan, so it's not a lie :P)

Anyway, as you can see...I am back, but this time with a new ISP!

I will upload my files and such to the web-site (http://leewhittaker.br0ken.org) a little later on. As I have a hell of alot of catching up to do!

--Lee
In response to Zilal
*snicker* Yup. In my experience, trying to show what you actually can do doesn't help either.

Create a mediocre icon -> Get complimented with almost enough moral support to finish the game.

Create a robust, easily modifiable engine -> Get blank stares instead of moral support and every term the family does not understand in the classifieds is supposedly something you can do.
In response to Zilal
Zilal wrote:
My parents seem to think that it makes me a hot commodity in the job market. Every damn ad in the classifieds that has something to do with computers, whether it's staffing a help desk or running networks, my father wants me to apply for. I say, "But dad, I don't have a master's degree in computer science and eight years of experience with Unix systems." He says, "They'll probably settle for less than that, you should send them your resume, I bet they'll be impressed." Yeah, they'll be really impressed with my fluency in a language that's used nowhere in the business world and my stunning portfolio of shareware games.

I got my first job in Silicon Valley with less programming experience than you have now (mine was in C at the time, though).

I'd recommend looking for jobs in technical writing (my field) if you ever want to get a tech job. Writers who can program are always in demand. (Yeah it would help to learn Java or something...but it wouldn't take you long if you grabbed a book and downloaded the tools.)
In response to MC Staff
my perants think its amazing that codes are soo easy to learn even my dad trys it out sumtimes.. but he's a doomer so i guess he'd preffer Deepsea to Dm but let me say DM is one of the most robust linguo's out there!, it runs rings around the likes of WoS and RPGcode!
-Spoon
In response to Zilal
Z,

There is quite a bit you can do to get your foot in the door. I'm making very good money as a programmer now, and I never finished college. Nor did I take a single computer course during any of my studies.

I did not "qualify" for my previous job, my two promotions within that job, nor my current job. There are indeed employers who look closely at what you can do, regardless of educational background. Technology is the only field this applies to, as far as I can tell.

There were a couple of reasons I was hired when I originally was.

  • It was 1994, and the market was extremely good for newcomers. It's still pretty good though.
  • I had a visible web portfolio of work I had done. I had created a web-site for my previous employers (a desk-top publishing company), one for my music, and a few other hobby sites. My resume showed the URL for my portfolio, so prospective employers could check it out directly.
  • I listed my shareware games as completed projects, with links for download.
  • I had my own domain, which in 1994 was much more impressive than it is today. Still, it shows you are serious about your work. My first tech employer said it was the reason I was hired over their second choice.

    Once you get your foot in the door, you've got a great stepping stone. I could not have landed the job I have today without my previous one. Past job experience in the field helps get better and better jobs.

    Lastly, if you are anywhere near the Washington DC, greater metropolitan area, send me your resume. My company is hiring quite a bit at the moment. :-)

    Skysaw
In response to Skysaw
Connecticut is a ways from D.C., I'm afraid.

You did, however, reassure me, even though Z was your target -- I was thinking that with all of the competition I have (especially from the kids whose parents won't accept a B on a report card), there'd be a chance that I might wind up in some less than savoury computer-related job, like *shudder* ...accounting.

(My brother isn't much help, either. He pretty much says "aim low because you won't be able to hit it if you aim too high". I pretty much say "aim high because it's a lot easier to climb down than it is to climb up".)
my mom is all like "You can make good money off that if you try, blablablablabla", She doesnt realize the only programming language i know is byond(as in realy know). Although i have shown to be good at media CD's, as in Makeing video and Pictures into a presentation to sell to somone.
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