>Software development is an art - not a science. We can't memorize or read our way into the proficiency we desire. We write code - and then we write more code. We don't let the machine beat us. We don't subbscribe to our percieved limitations of the paradigm or ourselves.
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>Wealth is not income from software development. Wealth is the enjoyment of work.
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>We compete against our own limitations, and, in a friendly, polite way, with each other.
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>Why do you want to write software?
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>One good reason, especially since you're here on the UT, is to "one up" the rest of us with a better idea - a cleaner interface.
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>That takes time and attention - it's not magic - it's sweat - it's lunacy - it's finding that particular workaround, that clever process that makes you feel good.
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>Motivate yourself with the fear that if you don't succeed, you will become, dare I say it, an MS repairman - DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!:-)
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>Keep hitting it. Intensly - with passion! Learn to love details - look at software you want your interfaces to behave like.
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>For example there are many ways to control the "action" when the cursor exits a "textbox". You have the "when" event, you have lost and got Focus events - and you may find yourself trapped in a cycle of pain if you only rely on the "validate" event.
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>Here's what I would do just to "be all I can be!"
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>Write an interface (a personal project that no one will see or buy) in VFP that looks and behaves exactly like windows explorer. You got tool bars, treeviews and list views controls. Everything you need to mimic the "Explorer" is built into VFP. Do that - and your fears will evaporate - you'll be to busy to worry about living in a van down by the river!:-)
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>When you go home, turn on your computer, and code, kill your self on the pointless meaningless aspects.
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>The reason my "hereo" developers write good software is becuase they want to write better software than anyone else.
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>However, if it's just a job - classes help. But-if you want to rule the world - then you need to get desperate -code till you drop - like your life depeneded on it.
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>Software developement is like no other career if we are to stay i=on top of the game. There a zillion things we don't know - and a zillion new things keep coming into the market every second.
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>Here's a good approach (a philosphy) I discovered works:
>1) I am smart enough and work hard enough that any project I undertake will be better than any one imaged - and I will never fail.
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>.. or .. (this is probably where I fall)
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>2) I am too stupid to realize I am not smart enough to deliver the sexiest, bestest project, and work my lame butt away by trial and error until it finally works.
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>It's not about brains or ability - it's about desire, 16 hours a day on the board, and our ignorance of the fact we're not smart enough to know we can't do it. That's the formula!
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>If you're dumb, like me, just convince yourself you're smart, and delivery becomes a mmater simple logistics - how much time we beat our brains to get it done, rather than the wasting our souls fearing failure!
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>Remember Frank Herberts' "Dune". Remember when "Paul" had to take the "test"?
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>Remember his mantra?
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>"Fear is the mind killer"
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>Program program program or you'll wind up living in a van down by the river - you got too much to do to waste time being afraid you can't do it.
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>It's that simple - make your weakness your strenght.
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>You got a bunch of smart VFP guys south of the US - goto your VFP SIG meetings - look at what other people are doing. Pick a direction and sacrifice - then you to - grasshopper - will be tired at the end of the day!:-)
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I am sorry I am not able to put a star for this post.