Elite coder??

Okay i know this probably doesn't belong here, but i was curious what's the usual length of becoming an elite coder?? Years, maybe months? I mean im just curious, sorry if this doesn't belong here, but i really want to reach a point in my programming skills, as well as my networking skills, internet security skills until i am satisfied with what i have learned. I'm barely beginning at the moment, i know this is ridiculous I'm 17 years old. I kind of feel like a fool trying to learn so late. I was always interested in computers, games and how things worked and so forth, all i really want to know is am i starting too late??? i know it's never to late, but i mean i graduated school already and am currently taking 1 year off until college. Is this enough time to become a computer guru thats all i want to know ?

 

There is no set "time" to become an elite coder. It all depends on what you do in your time, and how focused you are.

 

Well in example how about you cp_? When was the first time you touched a programming book and actually took a course? Was everything you learned self taught, or was it learned in school as well? I'm currently looking forward to subscribing to http://www.astalavista.com/index.php?section=home but i dont know if this would help me much without knowing nothing about programming, is this something you would recommend? If anyone is willing to just share some past experiences with me on how they came to the level there are at now that would be great, i would really appreciate it. Please dont flame me all i am is a helpless creature wanting to go on an adventure of expanding my knowledge in computers .......

Also Astalavista has e-books. I mean this would benefit me do to the fact i can just download books im interested in right off the internet right??

 

Actually, I never took a course on programming (Although, I did use programming in my computer-related courses), nor have I ever touched a programming book.

W3schools is all you need to begin.

Not all e-books are great, but they can help. What language are you planning to learn?

 

To become a great programmer, like Knuth, Torvalds or Stallman, generally they say it's 10+ years after you get fluent in a language.

 

Its not too hard learning to code, assuming you are interested. I taught myself c++ is a few months. I don't know everything, but I decent. Everything I've learned was with the internet.

 

Reply To Cp_: Well i was interested in C++ because of its cross platforms capabilities. Other then that maybe learn some java and java script. There's just so many things i want to learn, i've got this urge but i know its impossible to learn: HTML, CSS, CS3, PHP, SQL, Java, Java Script, C++, Then learning the basics of Network security(REALLY WANT TO LEARN HOW TO EXPLOIT SECURITY HOLES "For good purposes of course" and all that other good stuff), within a whole year i know im kidding my self if i think i can lol... But yeah thats my goal... And definitely ill check out W3schools. Thanks for all of your guys responses and info


Edit: Sweet W3schools is an awesome source of knowledge that would be useful for any beginner and i think would be for other's as well thanks for sharing this site with me

 

C++ on its own, is cross platform, but many of the major libraries for it are not.

I suggest to you that you learn HTML, CSS, Javascript, and PHP first. (Do you mean photoshop when you say CS3?)

Go to SQL once you believe you understand the basics of the mysql functions in PHP.

Why are you trying to learn so many languages? Being the best at one language is better than being crappy at a lot of languages.

Try out both C++ and Java. Java can be used for the web, as well as a desktop application.

 

I'm not necessarily trying to learn all of those languages just pointed out what i would love to learn within the period of time i have (My 1 year off till school again). But my main interests are C++ and Java, and well thanks again for you're advice ill be sure to start of with HTML,CSS etc..

One last question does anyone recommend http://www.astalavista.com/index.php?section=home ?? Is anyone on here subscribed to that community?

 

Actually, I find subscribing to those things to be annoying. You get an email every day, with useless garbage.

Just follow the W3 tutorial, and use it with google. Better than any subscription ever.

 

Some1 deleted my other post >> pm me ur msn.

 

Well alright thanks everyone for you info you guys can delete this if you want