I have
not been able to learn to speak in a foreign language. I have
tried Spanish, French and Russian. Didn't take. Programming
languages - a different story. I seem to understand code like
it was the dominant language of my youth. I pick it up quickly.
If it is something I am unfamiliar with all I need to do is
read a source code and I can figure it out.
I had a
Commodore 64 when I was 11. I was able to figure out the code
to make the creepy voice speak phonetically to pronounce curse words
until my dad caught me. After that, the computer moved
locations and I had to use it in his presence. Blah! I
was off to a good start though.
My
early foundations were on DOS. It really blows me away that no
one seems to use DOS anymore. If more people understood it they
wouldn't need computer repair technicians as often. Many of my
computer problems have been solved at home by using what is now
called “Command Prompt.” When I was on the phone with tech
support for a networking problem, they actually tried to walk me
through it. It was hard not to laugh.
When I
first started a geocities web
page (1997ish), I had windows 3.1. It was not Java enabled. I
couldn't use the cool features to drag and drop text and images. I
checked out a HTML book from the library and typed the whole page in
longhand. I was dedicated and bored. I can still program
in HTML and the things I don't know I just look up on the internet.
In
college, I spent at least one class a semester programming and coding
which was later used for GIS.
I know there was basic, python, visual basic, C, Pascal, and
java (which I studied on my own). I can produce queries like no
other in Access and link them through other applications. I
also learned how to import data from other programs and
geographically represent them on maps. Oh, good times...
The new
web page at works allows widgets for text and images but not solid
coding. You can't upload scripts--only images to the host site.
I have found how to circumnavigate this to produce
flash slideshows.
I researched flash enabled slideshows using flickr.
The slideshows that
are created through flickr are
boring. They can't continually run. They automatically
stop when the last picture is reached and you can't edit information
around them to say what the picture is showing.
I
found a slideshow I liked and embedded the link into the
new work website. I edited the source code to reference
our flickr account
and the set of pictures I wanted. Because I copied a section of
code, I could modify the background colors, text colors and image
size. The best part is the source code file is located on
another site so no extra storage space is used on the hosting site.
Quite ingenious. The new web page has two different
galleries: one of promotional items and one that shows the screen
prints we have produced. I am now starting to learn CSS3. I
would like to modify the site to be more personalized and
professional. Just because we have a basic template doesn't
mean I can't jazz it up. I have also signed up with Code
Academy (if it is good enough for Mayor Michael Bloomberg,
it is good enough for me). The best way to learn is by doing
and for free!
My years of coding
in html, basic and C++ are finally coming in handy. It is nice
to have a job that uses some of my former abilities and encourages me
to learn more. Now, if I can convince them to let me me take
the online class for Illustrator...
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