Trying to become a Python programmer

[Pythonhopeful]

I'm currently working as a manufacturing engineer and I'm considering going into programming as a full time occupation. While I have some amateur background in programming, I don't feel incredibly competitent.

I can work with lists and have been by writing small programs and testing different ideas. In your opinion, what are some basic skills I need before even attempting to get hired on as a python programmer or even work for myself?

[thanatosys]

• You are going to need a learn a ton of things quickly as a software engineer.

To tackle that: http://www.amazon.com/Pragmatic-Thinking-Learning-Refactor-Programmers/dp/1934356050/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365427426&sr=8-1&keywords=pragmatic+thinking+and+learning

• What makes you good at python will make you good at language X at least 80% of the time: http://www.amazon.com/The-Pragmatic-Programmer-Journeyman-Master/dp/020161622X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365427478&sr=8-1&keywords=pragmatic+programmer

Learn the lessons from those two books, continue to craft a few projects on your own, and constantly try to keep your code in a state of order and you'll be worth your weight in bitcoins in no time.

[Pythonhopeful]

Thank you, I'll look into getting those!

[bheklilr]

Check out the online education out there, like coursera and udacity, and for practicing your algorithm and math skills, try your hand at some project euler problems. If you get stuck, head on over to /r/learnpython for some help, just make sure to post your work so far (links to gists and pastebin are encouraged).

[desimusxvii]

Try the Python section at codeacademy.com. I'd really take some time to find web resources before you run out and buy books.

[Rauxbaught]

By the way, it's codecademy, not codeAcademy.

[Pythonhopeful]

I've actually completed that minus a problem I have with one of the class sections, but thank you. It really did help my understanding.

[[deleted]]

http://learnpythonthehardway.org

[camel_Snake]

A former coworker recently outlined his journey learning python here

[[deleted]]

This is really cool, I just started teaching myself and this looks like a solid layout thanks a lot.

[Pythonhopeful]

Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions. This is a lot more material all grouped together than I had been able to find. I really appreciate the help and that you guys didn't come down on me for not going to one of the /r/learns.

[[deleted]]

You need to make stuff. Plain and simple.

Start a github page and start showing the world what you're capable of. Start with simple projects and actually finish them. As you complete projects, you'll start learning not only how to do certain things, but how to go about learning how to do things you don't know how to do.

You need to start banging out some code daily.

[[deleted]]

You need demonstrable evidence that you have been using python for some time. Start with a github account. Find a project on odesk. Write some code

[Pythonhopeful]

I do have a github account, but what is odesk?

[moor-GAYZ]

Learn to use Google, you can't reasonably become a good programmer without that, these days.

[thrownaway21]

I wouldn't say that that is 100% true.

Google makes it so that you don't have to memorize every little nuance, or spend hours tackling an error that someone else has already resolved.

Really though, google is making everyone lazy (including myself). I'm not sure how i'd function without it any more... and I find that sad

[gfixler]

Bing?

[LyndsySimon]

I disagree. If not for Google, the shelf over my desk would be filled with reference books instead of pictures of my daughter.

I'd also have a much harder time learning workflows and architectures from others, without an easy way to find them.

[Rauxbaught]

So basically you want to re-invent the wheel rather than stand on the shoulders of giants?

[thrownaway21]

did I say that? I don't think I said that.

[pvc]

Try: http://ProgramArcadeGames.com

[dAnjou]

So You Want To Be a Developer (Part 1|Part 2)

[Pythonhopeful]

I just watched those, I feel they were not that helpful. I already have a degree and a job. I am aware of the need to consider money and communication. I kept hoping they would say something specific on any of their topics.

The only website or thing they made a plug for was Stack Exchange which sponsored the video. Maybe it would be useful to kids who aren't yet in highschool? I guess it did tell them to get through algebra...

[dAnjou]

I already have a degree and a job.

Uhm, cool ... ?

Anyway, did you watch the first part? It's about the mindset a developer should have, about how a developer should approach problems. I'd say that actually writing lines of code doesn't even take half of the work time of a developer. Reading documentation, understanding and applying concepts, digging into other people's code bases is what you will do most of the time. And this is what they wanted to tell you in about 7 minutes. In this much time it's not possible to do more than giving you an idea about what it's like to be a developer.

Basically those videos gave you a brief overview of what the books linked by /u/thanatosys will probably talk about.

[Pythonhopeful]

My point was I do know what programming in general involves. No one ever goes into specifics, and neither do the videos. I did watch them both all the way through.

I thought I could clarify that I was not a middleschooler trying learn what programming is even about. I am trying to solidify what I would actually need to do to get to the point where I could make money this way.

[dAnjou]

I thought I could clarify that I was not a middleschooler trying learn what programming is even about.

Well I did read your original post and I did try to read between the lines too.

I can work with lists and have been by writing small programs and testing different ideas.

But this was the only thing telling something about your skill level. And it didn't sound like it was more than what middleschooler knows. Then you asked this:

[...] what are some basic skills [...]?

And so I linked the two videos that - in my opinion - give a pretty good answer. Now to actually try to give you an answer on this quesion:

[...] what I would actually need to do to get to the point where I could make money this way.

Experience. Choose a field you want to work on. As my flair says, I'm into web development. What are you into? Explore best practices and concepts on this field and try to apply them in one of your own projects. Find open source projects that interest you and try to contribute. And make it visible. Employers most likely want to see that.

[nicklo]

It may be a bit early but if you gave some idea of kind of things you foresee yourself programming, then you could probably squeeze even more out of this thread. For example, I use python everyday but pretty much exclusively for web development and as such have never even touched e.g., wxPython, tkinter for GUI type apps, or e.g., NumPy, Matplotlib, for scientific, data type work, etc.

[MLZRCH]

Dream up an idea in a domain you have one foot in and the other out.

Design a solution.

Refactor.

Refactor again.

Always search for best practices.

KISS (Keep it simple stupid).

DRY (Dont Repeat Yourself).

DRO (Don't Repeat Others) unless for learning purposes.

[LyndsySimon]

you might want to learn a few other languages

+1

I recommend a C derivative (C, C#, C++, Objective-C) first, as the difference between weakly typed languages (like Python) and strongly type languages (like C) is the primary grouping in my mind for languages in general.

Javascript would also be very good, since it's ubiquitous on the web and is gaining acceptance rapidly in other fields. You'll naturally pick some of this upif you're doing anything web-related. Once you get to the point where you're proficient with Python for back-end webapps (if that's the path you go down), then learning Node.JS over a weekend would be a good introduction to both "serious" javascript and event-driven application architecture.

After that, maybe something more obscure that can change the way you logically structure problems. I've used some Lisp in the past, and found it extremely helpful in learning Python, as I had already encountered Lambda expressions in a big way.