Hello everyone, I'm a new member. And I'm a what?

A Programming freak

Even though my age is given by the expression

12<x<14

(where x is my age), I'm almost through with my first program - an encryption algorithm. I Love programming, an awful lot, and I was sooooooooooooooo happy when I found this board, and It was quite surprising that there's something like this in Nigeria. I'm not dissing Nigeria - I'm from Kwara (Irepodun) afterall.

Now the main koko - I need a little help

I want to end up a programmer. I'm not sure - getting a B.Sc in CSC - how far will that take me? and i've not seen anything SE in Nigerian universities. The koko is - what do I do in uni?

Please reply everybody - and sorry if i bored you with my personal stuff.

Welcome ajiboyet. In this Land, you will find the good, the bad and the not so good. Be yourself and you will learn a lot, meet new people and/or even make few good friends.

Programming is a fun art and fascinating as well. I suggest you go for computer science and get your university education just like everybody else (if you have the opportunity). You don't know when/where you might need it. There are other things University education will expose you to beside your hobby or in this case programming. Yes, most school in Nigeria will not teach you the real thing (maybe they don't know) about programming but, don't forget you can always learn stuff yourself and there are tons of[i] free [/i] information out there on cyberspace.

Good to know you've started doing some programming on you own. Keep it up. Ask questions if you need help, i'm sure someone here will provide you with an answer or point you to where you can get it.

Hi. I'm 17, also a programmer and studied on my own -- I'm still studying.

I suggest you try to leave the country. When I discovered I'm better than most gradautes, I came down here and am studying Computer Science in the USA.

I'm a bit impatient because I'm above the level of my classes but at least I know I'll still reach a level where I'll have something to learn. In Nigeria, there's no such assurance in schools where you're taught archaic languages like Fortran without even a computer.

I will advice u start learn right on your own and always make sure you come online to check for new things. That will give you challenge and be upto date.

University education whether in or outside NIgeria,  if u have the opportunity of learning abroad no probs,  but If u want to learn in Nigeria make sure u take a computer course outside and if u think thats a waste of time get connected at home, join groups online and help solve problem.

Make sure u get return because most people get discouraged if what is coming seem to be too late.

Make money with your knowledge go for certification etc.

Dont look at your age or set a barrier for your self. If you really wanna go forward.
And stay focus!!!

Thanks everyone

sbucareer, I program in JB (JustBasic, a dialect of BASIC). In case you want it, check out www.justbasic.com it's easy to use and it comes with a runtime engine so u can make stand-alone programs

Going abroad? Probability is zero. My father believes strongly in CU, and any other university is counterfeit.

Nna men, una don step up ooooooooooo. When someone is talking about C, I'm still writing BASIC. WEll, I hope to step up to VB myself soon, so, I'm not bad, at least, i'm only thirteen. I've a friend (my best friend actually) who wants to study SE, and ,

Please reply and say something that'll lift my spirit. Thanks.

My own advice: Learn PHP/MySQL and start building dynamic websites.

Not everyone is interested in web development. I'm interested in web development but not as much as in security and cryptography.

Well,
If there is programming I do not like, then it's HTML, and other web-related stuff. I tried my hands on HTML once before, and it was pathetic. All my efforts were in vain. And maybe I didn't have proper learning. But I don't like all them PHP/SQL and all those stuff.

Where do you intend to study Nigeria or Abroad ? I'd advice you to study Mathematics as studying computer science is a waste of time. Pick up any book on programming C and you are good to go.

How about this sbucareer, You'd be shocked how many developers don't know how to use word, myself included.

Microsoft Word is not standard software to use -- it's just that it's popular. I use OpenOffice.org on my system because it works for me -- and it's better.

i dont thik it is necessaryb to attend a institution to know the basics of IT because there are no facilities in our higher institutin of today. one has learn on his or her own.

I wish to advice you  togo polytechinic if you want to be a skill programmer or skill system analyst, because na poly wey i go. also be serious, i love computer sci. more than any other field. i had only ND for now but i am being developing many costomised progmm for company and offices, also into h/w mains, wed design, Currently i am working in a communication company as a Network engr. poly have more skill than uni please choose what is better.

Well in my own case i'm just 19+ and i study in a polytechnic and the leaurers are afraid to teach the student rubbish cos they know someone is here that kinda know something morethan the student, sometimes they call me and ask me somethings and right now they want me to manage the school website, the last time i was in the lab, i was really building a software and i did everything and i could remember that my software was sold out without them telling me,

ajiboyet,

I will advice you buy programming books and read. You can get mathematics books as well. Anything that will keep your brain working.

Contrary to what most people will tell you, I will advice you to work for yourself because you can never make the kind of money you want working for someone else. You can work after school and all but most good developers work on contract basis. There are still 1001 and one things to do with the computer and there are still 1001 technologies that haven't made it to our country, so the computer industry is very much promising.

alexis:

There are still 1001 and one things to do with the computer and there are still 1001 technologies that haven't made it to our country

binary or decimal

I don't advice young people to be too quick to think that they know exactly what they want to do with their lives. It is highly unlikely.

When I was your age, I wanted to be a programmer and nothing else. When I finally got the chance to work as a programmer, I discovered something: I don't enjoy writing code for others. Even though enjoy solving complex puzzles by programming, I couldn't live the life of a programmer because I don't enjoy writing practical code.

However, if programming is what you want to do as a career, Computer Science/Engineering is the right course to study. The degree is going to assure employers that you understand the basic concepts of computing. Then you can use your spare time in school and during internship to learn real skills, get certified, tackle real problems, and start making money. Money is really good; it's always nice to be able to make money doing what you love.

I am currently working with 2 pple who have no comp sc degree but yet are one of our best - one in history, the other in arts

Just wanted to add a word or 2. It has to do with something I hear not only here in the US but on this forum:

Just because a programming language is hard for you to understand or may seem too easy, does not mean it is "pathetic", "crappy" or any other variation of these words. You gotta b careful that in saying what you say you don't end up discouraging pple who would otherwise be fellow programmers. Every language has its purposes. In the end, it's all about your logic. Logic will always remain the same.

Remember, our fingers are not the same length. You may be a very smart C# programmer, but a very dumb panel beater. Everyone is smart in their own respect. Let us be careful in our choice of words.

Now that I hv that off my chest, time to go continue watching Mexico v Iran. I think someone just took a shot

you should study Software Engineering in the University. Or study any social sciences and in your leisure time, learn programming and get certification after the degree.

I think you should study a course related to IT, it helps a lot when you go job hunting. i have a degree in Business Administration, but work as a programmer/developer/network dude/trainer/web-man/consultant. i always get the default stereotyped resistance from clients and prospects as to whether i am capable of delivering, not having "degreed" in the field. but it is not all about learning and academics. in the real world, it is all about delivery

First Smartsorf u said ure 19!!! I saw your website,

OK to Ajiboyet. First I dont really advice you to study Comp Science. It really depends partially on your math/science ratio:

if (ratio>> (very much greater than one) 1)
{
u shud prob got for comp sci, math, or smthg and aim for low-level porgramming/systems programming, etc;
}
else if (ratio<<1)
{
then prob go for engineering (elect, preferably), CIS, SE, Business, etc i.e VERY practical stuff;
}
else continue; // lol

Now, I really dont advice you to go to a Poly, neither do I advice you to go to a univ., expecting to get real-world skills! Fact is, Poly is much better with the skills thing, BUT (TO ME, at least using MY idea of POLY's) t'll be like selling urself short. You just wont have the Mathematical/theoretical skills-enough to create certain (types of) solutions, With all due respect (WADP) to ma Poly Pips. Plus Univs gather more high profile intellectuals (prob like urself):- good for exchange of ideas from diff fields; baseline is; u really cant beat the whole UNIVERSEity concept!

PLUS Alexis has serious points there for ya (and me) to (Seriously) consider:

ajiboyet,

I will advice you buy programming books and read. You can get mathematics books as well. Anything that will keep your brain working.

Contrary to what most people will tell you, I will advice you to work for yourself because you can never make the kind of money you want working for someone else. You can work after school and all but most good developers work on contract basis.

@ Great Money-Making Admin! (Seun)

I don't advice young people to be too quick to think that they know exactly what they want to do with their lives. It is highly unlikely.

, yeah, but, like U really MUST start somewhere: Thats what is killing Nigeria (Africa?). Ever seen any 13 yr old Chess International Master, or how many of much-talented <Ahem> students can even make bronze in International Math, Physics, Olympiads? An average Bronze winner in the IMO, for instance wud outshine a 300L student of our best univs!!! Did Williams Gates wait to be sure b4 starting programming? OR Did he wait to graduate (from the best skul in da world, which he was in!!!) b4 starting his company. Its all about whats called PASSION: with that, you can make previous pupu worth millions!!!

OK, Cheers and good luck to Ajib,

, now, back to Google searching for free Win 32 Applications C++ source-codes (for learning, hey, I aint so young too oh!),

Pfowighz, have u ever studied computer science in any polytechnic in nigeria before? How comes u know that there wont be enough mathematical/theoretical skills to grab in the poly? Try and get the course curriculum for ND/HND computer science from NBTE and see for urself. Stop degrading polytechnics. After all some one earlier said that he is working as a programmer for a big IT company with just ND in computer science; where did he get the skills from? Enough maths courses dey there u hear?

Pfowighz, have u ever studied computer science in any polytechnic in nigeria before? How comes u know that there wont be enough mathematical/theoretical skills to grab in the poly? Try and get the course curriculum for ND/HND computer science from NBTE and see for yourself. Stop degrading polytechnics. After all some one earlier said that he is working as a programmer for a big IT company with just ND in computer science; where did he get the skills from? Enough maths courses dey there u hear?

Now, Ishmael, I dont know where to start from.

First, you could read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytechnics

First, lets look at the Logic of your assertion: I DO NOT need to have studied Comp Sci in any Poly in Nigeria to KNOW about it!!! The whole concept of Poly's makes it inevitable that more emphasis is placed on garnering of practical skills than going on theoretical adventures, most of the time. In my post I explicitly stated that Polys are MUCH better with Skills acquisition. I also adviced him not to go to a univ with the expectation of getting very much real-life skills. I ALSO said that Polys would not give you math skills-enough to create CERTAIN (pls note the emphasis now) types of solutions. These simply mean that Polys and Univs (naturally) both have their short-comings, But of course, it doesnt mean that Poly graduates ALL don't have the skills? Of course not! They read up on their own! Find ways! Or Univ students dont have skills? NO! They go for ITs unpaid work, just to get much needed skills. So I really dont see how my post, in any way, infers the opposite, what with your replys:

@Ishmael

stop degrading polytechnics. After all some one earlier said that he is working as a programmer for a big IT company with just ND in computer science; where did he get the skills from?

If you wanted more instances, you could have just said so, rather than accusing me (falsely, I must say) of, what, degrading! Polys.
Abeg oh Bross, I offend ya before?

Plus, I also gave the possibility that there are nice Polys by clearly stating that I am speaking with MY OWN IDEA OF POLYs. In the US, their Polys are very much like Universities. But there still is some slight inclination by Polys in the US to the sciences, technology, IT, etc. yet they are wonderfull; even our own Gabriel Oyibo (of GAGUT fame, ) lectures (or used to lecture; let me check it up now) at RPI in the US! USs oldest technological university, its called. www.rpi.edu. The Worlds best (or 2nd best) university MIT was actually formed as a Polytechnic (in its general form, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytechnics)

See, Ishmael, I have MANY Friends, relations, colleagues, etc that went to/study in/WORK in Polys, so Trust Me on these.

And Although I have tried hard to be fair on Polys and Univs too, please note that you cannot compare Poly's (in Nigeria, and some outside) quality to Univ quality. Why? Cuz they are plain different; serve different roles. It would be tantamount to adding mouses to keyboards!

And please oh, Computer Science DOES require a lot of math skills, particularly Abstract/Pure, Logic, but, of course, not necessarily a math guru. Just like Engineering requires both some abstract math, logic and also Applied math skills. Just ask pips in (or who graduated from) Univs how much math they had to learn compared to what they expected.

Pfowighz, no wahala, we are still together. Its just that you need to see d mathematical courses they do in nigerian polytechnics in computer science.

Logic & Linear algebra
Trigonometry & analytical geometry
Elementary probability theory
Descriptive statistics
Calculus
Numerical methods
Operational Research 1 & 2
Advanced calculus
Advanced Algebra
Statistical Theory 1 & 2

And they are compulsory courses; coupled with programming. Dont u think these are enough to make u mathematically/theoretically skillful?

Yeah, Ishmael.

And, thats why I made the statement:

(TO ME, at least using MY idea of POLY's)

.

Polys (and Univs) are different; Given!

Fact is, which Poly are you talkin about, cuz I can name lots of Polys that DO NOT do that much. Also, to what DEPTH do they go in these things? Some top-schools abroad actually require say 2 - 3 math courses, but the course LOAD, IS, well lets just say, MIGHTY!

Bottom line; Univs definitely do more and in more depth.

Now, remember, Oh: There are Univs and there ARE Univs,

All polytechnics in nigeria do that. Yoy must do all these maths courses before getting HND computer science in nigeria. Pally nigerian polytechnics are not what you think o; practicals and academic work are combined together. I use to use the same maths text books with university BEng guys when i was in the polytechnic to study and to do my assignments. I use to teach some of them what they dont know and needed to know. Pally the whole idea boils down on individual skills and not you going to poly or uni.

Polytechnics/HND in nigeria is different from polytechnics/HND in europe and america. In nIgeria it takes 5 years to get HND while in so many countries its 2 or 3 years; so there must be a difference in the HND curriculum in nigeria from those who spend just 2 or 3 years in other countries.