Am i way too old?

Question

I have good experience with Visual Basic, but now I need to learn the .net thing and visual basic express edition..
My enthusiasm is waining for leaning another program language..(this new stuff seems a lot different to me)..

Am I too old for this sh*te (37)?

Answer 1

I kinda know how you feel - you're preaching to the choir! If you are going to be in and KEEP a career in IT, it's constantly hitting the books at a phenomenal rate and keeping your nose in it. The paper and cert chase begins to get numbing and the constant classes, seminars, new concepts begins to ebb your passion for your chosen profession.

I took off a few years to teach technology to get a breather. Maybe it's time for you to do a similar (Star) Trek to give yourself a break, then junp right back in and learn .Net and Visual Express and whatever you want!

I digress...The day that you are too old is when you are six feet under.

Now to parlay your VB experience into .Net languages:

Visual Basic is by a large margin the most popular programming language in the Windows world. Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) brings enormous changes to this widely used tool. Like C#, is built on the Common Language Runtime, and so large parts of the language are effectively defined by the CLR. In fact, except for their syntax, C# and VB.NET are largely the same language. Because both owe so much to the CLR and the .NET Framework class library, the functionality of the two is very similar.

VB.NET can be compiled using Visual Studio.NET or vbc.exe, a command-line compiler supplied with the .NET Framework. Unlike C#, however, Microsoft has not submitted VB.NET to a standards body. Accordingly, while the open source world or some other third party could still create a clone, the Microsoft tools are likely to be the only viable choices for working in this language, at least for now.
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=25353&seqNum=4&rl=1

Online Programming Tutorial
http://www.softlookup.com/tutorial/ActiveX/index09.asp

GO FOR IT!

Answer 2

ha ha, that was 1990. At 37, it seems like I learned another new language about every 3 months. Let me think... That year, I worked on a project with the Intel DCM stuff and some of the work was in the ugly PLM language. I also learned the BITBUS protocol. A few months later, I was using Fortran, but redeploying a bunch of different random number generation techniques, as well as other mathematic things to develop signal simulations with pseudo-random noise. The data had to conform with a Mil Standard 1553 communication protocol, (not too dissimilar to the TCP/IP packet schemes that I worked on about a year before). After that, I was working with a 4 bit Bit-slice processor that had a really odd 30 instruction set, but only 256 Bytes of code space and 32 registers for RAM. (our final program was 255 bytes long in the end, so we just squeaked by). Every project was with a different computer, different operating system, different assemblers and compilers and different hardware. It was fun in those days.

I've done program debugging with a voltmeter, when a proper analyzer was not available. I've had to use patch code to find problems with both hardware and software. Gosh, I even used a freezer to discover odd hardware anomalies.

To me, the .net stuff is a simple extension of VB. But the fun is not the finished project, it's in the discovery. "IT" is the first part of "It's Fun"

Answer 3

Never too old, only small minded employers.

MS did have trial versions of their .Net Studio series available (last year). Don't know if they still do.

I'm not a professional programmer anymore (was during COBOL's reign), but I've taught myself Visual BASIC, SQL, HTML and C++. I'm working on PHP and some PERL now. Mostly I do it to solve whatever challenges may arise to complete a task.

For me, it's not a waste of time, but then I haven't been employed in IT since the dot-com fallout in 2000. I do a little side work at home (hardware repair & web design), but it won't keep the fridge full.

Am I too old? No, but at 50 no one is offering me a position and I've forgotten more that most of the new kids will know because I've been working with computers since the CP/M days. But enough babbling... Good luck with your endeavors!

Answer 4

Well, young lady, I'm 56 and I've already learnt Windows and Linux Platforms. I'm now learning Solaris, Unix and Lindows.

I've learnt the gamut of DTP Tools from the Adobe and Coral Suites across to the Open Source material and even the Serif Free Software Suite.

And, after having learnt Siebel CRM Suite, I'm now half way through SAP CRM!

I've done html, xml and am going on to asp and .net! And I'm working on Flash and Dreamweaver.

You're a good 20 younger than me and you think you're already too old?

Let me tell you a little secret, honeychild ... You're only as old as you think you are!

I think I'm 56 years young!

And here you are!

A healthy sturdy 37, but "old"!

You are not "old", honeychile! You are but a child in comparison!

Stop fooling yourself that you're fit to be put out in the pasture and romp around learning all you can!

All the best.

Cheers

Answer 5

No I am 40 and going to back to college to learn a++ Is there a reason like your job, that you have to learn this? Can you get away with learning what "you want " BUT if you learn all of them, your job potential increases.... you win both ways in the job market. Plus the more you use your mind in this way the better you are later, technology isnt getting easier to understand... its getting harder.. SO you will be on top... But do listen to your heart maybe there is a reason you want to lean in a differtn direction .

Answer 6

For my brothers 50th birthday, I bought him a PC. Within 2 or 3 months of never having used a mouse, he created a personal and works website, helped friends with their pcs over Hyperterminal etc. Several years down the line and the man is a whizz!
As for learning new programs, I appreciate it can be a drag. It's all down to whether you can justify the extra pain. Best of luck.

Answer 7

Naa jus learn from the net or the wizards! theres loadsa people learn late!!

Hey my Granda 82 has just got a computer and a MP3 maybe this will make u think that your not old and he has just learned how to do it all in a couple of days if he can you can!! jus get into it!!

Good luck!

Happy Learning and Computing!

Answer 8

You are never too old to learn something new. Look at the people who go college, or back to college and they are a lot older than you. When my daughter was in college, she used to tell me about people in their 40's and 50's who were in her classes. Maybe it all boils down to whether you want to invest the time and money in going to college again.
You are never too old to learn, will keep you young! :-)

Answer 9

You are never to old to learn anything new. Well unless you're a dog and want to learn new tricks, that's a different story! ;)

The best of luck to you, hope you get everything figured out!

Answer 10

Maybe not yet.
With computer programs and systems changing as fast as they do and all the new stuff, with it's own language, coming out daily. Who can keep up? lol.