Is it possible to become a good programmer if I don't want to spend every waking minute in front of my computer screen...

By several decades practice and contemplation about many CS/math/EE related fields from both a POV of industry and academia and ultimately developing the urge to kill all of them using time travel for laying this particular set of foundations and conventions, only to realize that they were constricted by their constraints so you develop the urge to kill potential deities for laying this particular set of foundations and conventions, only to realize that deities can only be powerless so you develop the urge to kys.

Naturally at some point you cease being a functional human being. You were warned.

t. reptile

I'm worried about you, user.

I just want to make money using a computer so that I can support my wife and children.

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>I just want to make money using a computer so that I can support my wife and children.
IT in general might not be the easiest, fastest and most reliable way to do that.

>but there's still a part of me that wants to be superior to those who are on their computers nonstop
gee, user, I know that feel. I sit infront of the TV all day and munch tidepods. yet I want to be superior to all those NFL players. yet I don't want to spend all my day on the field. can you help me? how can I be superior when I don't want to do anything for it? the most frustrating thing is that all my teachers and my parents all told me I can become what I want and I am special.

Good programmers spend 90% of their time thinking about code, not writing it, but if you're some self-defeating cuck limiting yourself based on some delusion of moderation or self-control you'll never be a good programmer anyway

>there's still a part of me that wants to be superior to those who are on their computers nonstop.
While you're asking yourself that question, they're on their computer, because they don't think about it, they just do it. You're never gonna compete with people that are obsessed by their very nature. Just be happy with being competent. You're not gonna be Carmack 2.0.

>the most frustrating thing is that all my teachers and my parents all told me I can become what I want and I am special.
kek, that's how I found out that it's bait

>You're never gonna compete with people that are obsessed by their very nature. Just be happy with being competent.
/thread

really? what about the tidepods?

It's tough. I am doing openstack, container, graphics programming, ai programming, lisp, web backend, assembly language, network programming, tcp/ip stack application, kernel hacking, mobile development and what not all of them at once. It never stops.
But then I realized, god tier programmers don't do multiple things. They specialize. So will I after I chose my topic.

I'm not murrican and had no idea what they were.

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyse a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

Heinlein is a fucking hack. Stranger in a Strange Land is shit, and if I hear some numale use the word grok one more time I'm gonna REEEEEEEEE

this macho renaissance-man attitude doesn't actually apply to fields that the skill, unlike changing diapears or balancing your accounts
even when you have general knowledge, everyone is a specialist, there is not one master programmer who isn't

That simply means you aren't even passionate about it and have no business in the field.

it hurts, bros

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why would it? why do you want to be successful at something you arent passionate at? go find something you do like

I'm passionate about writing and music but that doesn't pay the bills. Maybe I'm just no good, I don't know.

This is not middle age

I actually agree however overspecialization can be a problem.

A programmers should be able to design a system, design hardware, solder, write manuals, take orders, give orders, cooperate, argue a point, solve equations, solve problems, debug software, debug hardware, argue a point, adapt.
Specialization is for code monkeys.

it can

the idea that a programmer should be able to solder or debug hardware is ridiculous

writing and music does pay but you won't be swimming in money. to master programming you must practice nonstop and even then there will be some smug cunt that's better programmer than you.

>to master programming you must practice nonstop
not really
it's not like being an athelete
you mostly just have to be smart and keep pushing yourself

> if I don't want to spend every waking minute in front of my computer screen
How literally do you mean this?

You will need to work on the skill, but you might be better off if you spend your free time doing very different stuff - stuff that may be keeps you saner, more healthy, happier, etc. Rest for your mind is important, physical health affects your mental performance.

Wanting to be superior to "others" is a shitty motivation though.

Like any worthy skill, it takes practice and practice takes time. You need to put in the hours. If you're not enjoying doing it though, I'd recommend finding a different profession. You'll be better for it, wherever you end up will be better for it, and software will be better for it.

Literally I mean I want to devote 2 hours every other time to computer work. Can I still "make it?"

Don't focus on being better than others.
Focus on being the best you can be.
:)

depends what you're doing
and the average productive work cycle is 4-5 hours at once

Surround yourself with people who are better than you. Learn from them.
Pretty much how your junior position should look like.

Maybe, but you probably won't like it. Most people don't need to set up timeslots to hone their craft; they just do it and time seems to fly by because they're lost in what they're doing. What happens if you're on a roll and your 2 hours are up? Do you just stop even though you can clearly see the next step to take? What if you really just want those 2 hours to be over regardless of how much progress you actually make?

I honestly blame schools for instilling these sorts of ideas about work in people.

Luke Smith is a good programmer and a definite Linux autist and he hates computers.

Unfortunately if you want to be a programmer you have to make it your hobby and job. This isn't like being a electrician or a lawyer where you go to work and then go home and do whatever you want

You won't get good unless you put in the time. Its like pretty much any skill in this world.

Iwas a pretty meh programmer in school until I got my first summer job where all I did was program C for 40 hours a week. I got way better after that summer/fall of working full time.

I wouldn't say I was experienced until about 2-3 years of full time work

That said after 8 hours of programming I am ready to be done with computer stuff for that day and do something else. Variety is the spice of life.

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Candid question: Why do we naturally feel the need to be the ones supporting the family? Why not the wife? They want equal treatment and even pushed the CoC on one of the latest refuges for men in our modern times, last time I checked a marriage is something the female pushes towards not the man, so they should be the ones doing the supporting.

>How do you compare your programming skills to another person?

You can get a rough estimate by looking at how much work you can get done in a certain period of time, the variety of work you can do, and your ability to learn compared to your peers. Weak programmers tend to restrict themselves to a specific language and have no interest in expanding their skills.

>Or is it all of them?

Everything counts, but if you don't use the language you know, then it doesn't matter.