My first machine was a TI-99/4 that I purchased in '78 for $1,200. I wanted to use it to play games, like those that I played on mainframes or at the arcade. Back then there were no games for the home computer market, so I had to write my own; I had never written a program before. I quickly learned to program in Basic. My first program was called TI-Invaders (a knock off of Space Invaders) and was published to 99'er Magazine's premiere issue. I ended up taking a job at 99'er magazine about a year later as the Sr. Technical Editor. I was responsible for all of the programs and their listings that were published. The magazine became a source for others who wanted to unlock the power of this new technology and eventually became Home Computer Magazine with over a quarter million subscribers. In '86 I co-founded Hyperlink Magazine, which focused on the Macintosh and a new programming tool called Hyper Card that used a new paradigm for application navigation by clicking on links where key words were linked to additional information. No one remembers Hyper card or Hyperlink Magazine, but the hyperlink lives on today.

The right answer depends on her career goals. If she has a path in mind that would be helpful. If not, then start with free tools until they decides what path they have a passion for. For free: Gimp: Graphics drawing/painting Tool. Almost as good as PhotoShop. Blender: 3D modeling and animation tool. Unity: Game development platform to use all of the graphics assets created in the above tools. Once your friend has mastered those and is ready to graduate, then the PhotoShop suite of tools might be a good next step and very likely the tools in use in a lot of commercial shops. A helpful reference after they know what direction they want to take would be to check help wanted adds to see what skills they are asking for for graphic artist position they are interested in, as well as educational requirements. Good luck,

Question 1.) Why do you program, and what attracted you to programming in the first place

I began programming in the late 70's because I way fascinated by the fact that I, an individual, could exhibit such power to control a sophisticated machine like a computer, and through a few instructions have it do my bidding. It was exhilarating and fun. I'm not an artist, but I still like be creative and to see what I can create. I like to solve problems, and see the faces of those grateful people who's problems I solved.

Question 2.) Do you see any problems or future problems that could arise within the programmer subculture?

The biggest problem is that to stay relevant you need to allays be learning the next platform or paradigm. This business moves faster than than any other industry. The language of the day will change by the time you get proficient at it. That trend will accelerate in the coming years. Software is also going to start writing itself in the very near future, which may not bode well for pure coders. My recommendation for new people to this industry: Learn general business skills, the kind that you can take to any organization to compliment you coding skills. Learn accounting/finance, writing, public speaking, business math and and analysis. Get your BS in computer science but get an MBA in business administration. More than pure coders, companies increasingly want people who can cross the room and talk to their users in a language they can understand. You need to be conversant with the latest software paradigm and talk business also. Bottom line is you need to have or develop a passion for this industry. If you don't have that passion your not going to have the energy to invest the extra effort to stay ahead of the pack. Find you passion. What do you do when your not being paid. Find a way to work that passion into a paying career and you shoot ahead of the pack.

Good Luck

I've done the same with the front panel when the punched paper tape broke on an old Varian (circa 1974 or there abouts...) Binary for the win!

They either wanted to know if you knew the difference between the stack and the heap, and when to use one over the other, or were refering to the fact that the GC is good but not perfect, and there are still times when it is necessary to write your Dispose methods.

Years ago I ran in to the same problem so oftem I tried adopting the credo: Tell me where you want to go, and I show you how to get there. However, if you dictate how how you want to get there, I'll tell you where to go. It didn't take long before I realized that while it sounds good, it's not the real world. There will be many times in your career when the customer thinks they need to control every aspect of the job, incluing making decisions they are not qualified to make. While our brians are telling us to scream "IDIOT!", our wallets force us to do what we must to feed the family. In the end, the man or woman who writes the check is always right. If you feel there is a potential liability in the decision, then document your concerns; email is fine. Be very professional about it. Don't write any thing while you are upset, or say anything you wouldn't want read aloud in a court of law.

Ok, this isn't a funny answer but a question. Q: What are the 5 process steps in UML. A: There arn't any process steps in UML. The interviewer got all flustered and insisted that there are five process steps in UML. I didn't get the job. I emailed him later that he probably was thinking RUP when he said UML. I never heard back.

I've been programming for over 30 years, sd here is my 2 cents: The bottom line is that it depends on the programmer. There are not two of us alike. If they stay active in current technology, then the bredth of their experiences in different areas will make it easier to solve complex proplem, because they have learned to overcome similar issues in previous encounters. Thus, us old fogies make good software architects which is my current title. All to often, by the time we reach our 50's we have either burned out trying to keep up, or gone on to management. Managers don't have a prayer of staying current on the technology like someone that eats it for breakfast lunch and dinner, so they quickly fall behind the curve. New programmers bring a zeal for technology and the energy to work those 80 hour weeks. They soak up new information like a sponge and so are much more able to handle what ever come their way. While us older folks have learned first hand what kind of damage 80 hour weeks can do to your life in general and prefer positions that do have that requirement. If I had to do it all over again I would choose the slower career growth working only 40 hour weeks and enjoy my family more. I can get a new career, but family casn not be replaced.