First Beginner Update.

Patience Wellington — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 13:57:05 +0000

I’d really like to thank everyone who reached out to me on my previous post (https://dev.to/prettygirlscode/am-i-in-the-right-place-2c7i)
I had no expectations but I was glad I published that first post.

My Journey So Far

A big part of any notable achievement involves the mindset. The first thing I had to work on was my mindset. Why was this step so important?
Usually, achieving notable success is difficult, it requires moving forward despite unavoidable roadblocks and hardships. The natural response to difficult situations is to give up and stay where you’re comfortable. I’ve had to continually tell myself;

“ It’s going to get harder with time, keep going anyways”

Linux or Windows

What’s the best operating system to use when learning software engineering?
There is Windows, Mac and Linux. I’ve not used the Mac operating system before so I had to choose either Windows or Linux.
After much contemplation, I came to the following conclusions;

Windows is proprietary and does not let you look deeper but Linux operating systems does not only encourage you to look deeper, it actually expects you to.
Currently, I’m using the Linux operating system because it gives me deeper insight into every action I take, consequently increasing my understanding.
This decision boils down to what you actually want to do and the tool best suited for the task. I believe there are tasks best suited to Windows and tasks best suited Linux. After making the decision to use Linux primarily, I had to learn the Linux commands, shell navigation etc.

Flowcharts, Pseudocodes and Algorithms

I cannot emphasize enough how getting knowledge and understanding of these concepts is helping me get better at problem solving. It might not seem important at the beginning, but with time and as you start working on bigger projects you’ll begin to see their importance. A flowchart is simply a graphical representation of steps involved in a task, project or program. Algorithms are step by step procedures carried out to solve problems. Pseudocodes are false codes, codes written in plain English and they’re not language specific. Why did I find these concepts important?
Because they improves problem solving, break down complex problems, they give a clearer picture of the solution and they help non programmers understand your program or solution.

Git and GitHub

I’m also getting familiar with Git and GitHub. If you’re a beginner, please sign up with GitHub and learn how to use it. It is super important and there are many resources for learning.

What are your thoughts on this post?
Please comment any advice, addition, subtraction and constructive criticism. If you found this post useful, kindly share.

AM I IN THE RIGHT PLACE?

Patience Wellington — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 13:58:23 +0000

I just joined the DEV community and it’s really daunting!
Everyone seems so knowledgeable in their various fields. Frankly speaking, that’s really wonderful but it’s also quite uncomfortable because I’m a beginner.

I recently discovered the world of software development, I sincerely wish I discovered this earlier. Spent an unusual amount of time doing research on YouTube, GitHub, Quora, LinkedIn…etc. Name any platform and I promise you, I HAVE BEEN THERE! I found so much information some were great others were…meeeeh(sigh)

I discovered from my research that; everyone in the field has their own opinion, i have read articles and watched videos about “Why you should or shouldn’t get into whatever tech related field you’re trying to get into”.
I discovered the age old debate ( Is it better getting a degree or self learning?)
I’ve heard how difficult it is to self learn. I heard the term “burnout” so much I doubt that word is ever leaving my mind.
Lastly, I discovered that there are so many free resources for learning if anybody wants to.

I asked myself so many questions before making a decision. Would I be successful in this field?
Sincerely, I don’t know.
Would I start and not see this through?
Again, I can’t tell but I really want to see this through.
Do I want to be an average developer?
Seriously? Who wants that?
If I don’t put in my best? Would I regret one day?
Absolutely! I hate “what ifs” I would rather put in my best and know it didn’t work out than wonder what could have happened if it did. Unanswered questions really bug me.
Do I have a mentor and a community for guidance, coaching and learning?
I believe this is really important and this is why i am here. I’m sincerely not sure if I’m in the right place because I’ve not yet seen someone like me who’s just a beginner.
Everyone here seem quite knowledgeable in their various fields. Currently, my contribution to this community would probably be minimal but I really hope as time progresses, as I grow in knowledge and experience I can become a valuable addition to this community.

Any help, advice and mentorship I can get from anyone here would be most welcome.
I’m definitely not the best writer but I hope this was not a terrible reading experience.

DEV Community: Patience Wellington

First Beginner Update.

AM I IN THE RIGHT PLACE?