Is it possible to make a little cash as a debugger if I want to just learn programming?

L

Lando Calrissian

Registered Member
May 14, 2014
76
14
I have found I really enjoy basic scripting in zennoposter and am interested in taking it further.

However I don't want to make my own programs as I'm not interested in being creative really (at this point) and you have to worry about marketing yourself and stuff when I have no product or ideas for a product. I don't really like that part of it.

What I like is just methodically going thru a program and ironing out the kinks and watching the incremental progress that is made through the tweaks I made.

I can only say that has been my experience with zennoposter and programming seems to be the next step up. I can't say that I know anything about pure programming but it seems similar to zenno from my little foray into playing with html code.

So my qeustion is, are there ways I could get my foot in the door as a programming noob and start at the bottom debugging programs for more skilled programmers while earning a little coin as I go and learning the trade; or is it another case of like most things in life unless you have been learning it for years and years already you don't have a molecule of a chance cos there's a billion more skilled guys than you that could do the same in a fraction of the time :(?

If it's a realistic possibility how would I go about it?

Cheers.
 
Advertise on BHW
Hey Lando

I started my programming career with mIRC scripts. So simple scripting is a good gateway :)

In my experience the bug reports generally go back to the coders to fix.

I have worked with test teams that formulate and execute test plans by hand. This was at a larger software company. More frequently these days you'll find automated testing at companies which obviously requires programming abilities.

Where I live, the easiest way to get in to the industry is to learn a base of HTML/CSS/Javascript/MySQL/PHP/Wordpress and then apply as a web developer. That sounds like a bunch of stuff to learn but you can get away with a basic level of understanding at first. Plus you can learn that stuff on your own through the copious free education sites around.

Unfortunately it is a "skilled" industry so it's hard to get your foot in unless you can prove you'll be productive. Otherwise you could do phone support but that won't get you near the code. If you can afford the time, try to build a basic project using the above technologies and you'll be well in to the game.

Alex.
 
I wouldn't hire a programmer who was less skilled than me to fix bugs that I couldn't fix myself..
 
Lando Calrissian said:
I have found I really enjoy basic scripting in zennoposter and am interested in taking it further.

However I don't want to make my own programs as I'm not interested in being creative really (at this point) and you have to worry about marketing yourself and stuff when I have no product or ideas for a product. I don't really like that part of it.

What I like is just methodically going thru a program and ironing out the kinks and watching the incremental progress that is made through the tweaks I made.

I can only say that has been my experience with zennoposter and programming seems to be the next step up. I can't say that I know anything about pure programming but it seems similar to zenno from my little foray into playing with html code.

So my qeustion is, are there ways I could get my foot in the door as a programming noob and start at the bottom debugging programs for more skilled programmers while earning a little coin as I go and learning the trade; or is it another case of like most things in life unless you have been learning it for years and years already you don't have a molecule of a chance cos there's a billion more skilled guys than you that could do the same in a fraction of the time :(?

If it's a realistic possibility how would I go about it?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I think it's fairly unrealistic to get paid to debug applications when you're a newbie programmer. How are you going to debug a mature project when you're just beginning? It's pretty advanced stuff. The market for debuggers is small compared to programmers, but there's still a market which tends to be businesses like Microsoft who hire professional debuggers for mature projects (100k+ lines of code).

I had a conversation with a professional debugger who has been working with Microsoft for 10+ years. What I learned is that the whole process is automated, they have libraries which they've created to test every aspect of the application and return any possible errors or malfunctions. That way they can debug and test a mature project quicker with more accuracy than someone doing it manually.

If you REALLY want to be a debugger then you can with some hard work. I recommend you master C# and the Windows API if you plan to be debugging Windows applications.
 
It may be a good idea to get in touch with actual programmers and consider working under them so you could benefit from a direct experience before you could decide whether it would be something that you would like to pursue further.
 
Well yes debugging as a 'job profession' was probably not correct due to my ignorance of the field.

I basically just wanted to know how i could get into the world of programming and if its realistic at my old age of 30 to start now when there will be spotty 18 year olds who are already wizards at it.

It's like I took up an interest in chemistry recently and everyone just said don't bother your too old to take it as a career path now so was wondering if it would also be the case with this.

Spanishduez, that is kind of what i meant by my OP but didnt really word it well cos i don't know what I'm talking about but just what I've found most interesting so far. Just asking what would be the best way to be an 'apprentice' coder.

As has been mentioned there is the advantage that the internet has a wealth of knowledge if I wanna teach myself, but the question is how long to hit paydirt. I'm not all about the money but my SEO has failed and every month I have to pay that rent and so I have to look into how I can be productive in the short term as well as the long term.

I am trying as hard as I can having to be pulled back into the dreaded 9-5 cos I think to myself every minute I spend doing some shitty job is a minute wasted I could use learning something for my own business. I am sure I waste alot of time too I guess like jerking off but noones perfect :p.
 
Last edited:
Lando Calrissian said:
Well yes debugging as a 'job profession' was probably not correct due to my ignorance of the field.

I basically just wanted to know how i could get into the world of programming and if its realistic at my old age of 30 to start now when there will be spotty 18 year olds who are already wizards at it.

It's like I took up an interest in chemistry recently and everyone just said don't bother your too old to take it as a career path now so was wondering if it would also be the case with this.

Spanishduez, that is kind of what i meant by my OP but didnt really word it well cos i don't know what I'm talking about but just what I've found most interesting so far. Just asking what would be the best way to be an 'apprentice' coder.

As has been mentioned there is the advantage that the internet has a wealth of knowledge if I wanna teach myself, but the question is how long to hit paydirt. I'm not all about the money but my SEO has failed and every month I have to pay that rent and so I have to look into how I can be productive in the short term as well as the long term.

I am trying as hard as I can having to be pulled back into the dreaded 9-5 cos I think to myself every minute I spend doing some shitty job is a minute wasted I could use learning something for my own business. I am sure I waste alot of time too I guess like jerking off but noones perfect :p.
Click to expand...
If you're talking about making money and not about doing what you like, then I would stick to internet marketing. Keep on working and sooner or later you'll succeed in SEO, if you don't give up and you keep learning from your mistakes then you will make money from it. You can make money from programming, but the time it would take to gain enough skill to start making money could be the time you need to blow up in internet marketing. I would recommend doing SEO while learning how to program C# in your spare time, that way your setting up different opportunities for yourself.
 
Lando Calrissian said:
I basically just wanted to know how i could get into the world of programming and if its realistic at my old age of 30 to start now when there will be spotty 18 year olds who are already wizards at it.

It's like I took up an interest in chemistry recently and everyone just said don't bother your too old to take it as a career path now so was wondering if it would also be the case with this.
Click to expand...

Age doesn't matter. What does matter is the drive and the long long hours to become a master craftsman. Do you have it? That 's the question you need to answer to yourself. Programming isn't something you 'll take up and make you rich in 6 months.

What I like is just methodically going thru a program and ironing out the kinks and watching the incremental progress that is made through the tweaks I made.
Click to expand...

This is a big advantage. A big chunk of programmers simply want to get something done, not make something excellent. And that 's exactly what separates the wheat from the chaff. The hottest (read: expensive) commodity in the industry is great problem-solvers. That requires a) being open minded and b) being very educated on the field 's advances. Most programmers fit the "if you have a hammer everything is a nail" mentality.

In other words, if you grind through the steep and tedious learning process and earn your stripes, getting in front of the herd is not really that big a step from there, and that 's the great thing of this line of work.
 
Would you say its an all or nothing kind of thing where you have to be a semi pro to make any money from it?

Thats kind of what I meant aobut age in that ofc you can do anything you want but if it takes like 10 years to hit paydirt then it probably isn't the most practical thing to do. I mean admittedly it isnt something I wanna do so bad that I feel it's my 'calling' in life. I do enjoy it tho but more from a hobbyist perspective so probably that won't cut it to make a living from from what y'all are saying.

I would say I'm no slouch at SEO and really enjoy it in theory except for the emotional rollercoaster and never having a steady paycheck :p. For me every day feels like I'm weighing up whether this is a wise long term career path, hence why Im looking to other avenues but programming does tick most of the same boxes that SEO did in terms of lifestyle, and the advantage of programming I figured is more stable.

As a rough esitmate if I went full bore on progreamming how many years of studying it woudl it be before I would be ata good level to make money from?

I wouldn't currently be doing it full-time tho cos I still wanna do seo so Id have to double the figure.

Im not workshy by any means, I just wanna get an idea to see if it's gonna be realistic as a monetary path or whether I'll have to keep it relegated as a hobby/interest.
 
Lando Calrissian said:
Would you say its an all or nothing kind of thing where you have to be a semi pro to make any money from it?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can make money as a kinda-good programmer, but it 's down to luck. In the beginning, you will struggle to get paying customers.

As a rough esitmate if I went full bore on progreamming how many years of studying it woudl it be before I would be ata good level to make money from?
Click to expand...

It depends, because programming is a huge field that covers a ton of specializations. The fastest way to getting some cash flow would probably be to make small programs in Zenno and sell them (since you 're already familiar with it). And then more complex, useful (and expensive ones).

Im not workshy by any means, I just wanna get an idea to see if it's gonna be realistic as a monetary path or whether I'll have to keep it relegated as a hobby/interest.
Click to expand...

IM is a much faster way to money than becoming a programmer.
 
Advertise on BHW
You must log in or register to reply here.
Sign up now!

Main Menu

Home Main Forum List Black Hat SEO White Hat SEO BHW Newbie Guide Blogging Black Hat Tools Social Networking Downloads

Marketplace

Content / Copywriting Hosting Images, Logos & Videos Proxies For Sale SEO - Link building SEO - Packages Social Media Social Media - Panels Web Design Misc

Making Money

Affiliate Programs Hire a Freelancer Making Money Pay Per Click Site Flipping

BlackHatWorld

BHW Merch Forum Suggestions & Feedback Introductions Lounge Dispute Resolution

Other

Domain Name Forum IM Journeys Web Hosting Newsletter
Back
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features and essential functions on BlackHatWorld and other forums. These functions are unrelated to ads, such as internal links and images. For the best site experience please disable your AdBlocker.

I've Disabled AdBlock