Hey everyone! I'm 16 years old and I'm eager to learn coding this summer. The only laptop I currently own is an old Mac running High Sierra, which I don't really use. I also have a somewhat bent iPad, but I'm on a tight budget—at most $250. Should I try to work with my old Mac, maybe upgrade it, or should I buy a Bluetooth keyboard for my iPad? What do you all think?
4 Answers
Don't forget, back in my day we learned programming with just a pen and paper! But seriously, your Mac is more than enough for getting started with coding. Languages like Python or Ruby will run great!
If you're looking for something more up-to-date, consider getting a Raspberry Pi. They're affordable, and you could learn a lot with one, but honestly, your Mac should work just fine. Save that budget for something bigger later if you need it!
Definitely stick with the Mac! When starting out, you won't need a super powerful machine for the basics. Just focus on learning the language and the fundamentals. If it ends up being too slow, you can always reassess later, but for now, give it a shot!
Your old Mac should be totally fine for learning to code! You might even want to install Linux on it to get a more up-to-date environment, which can actually run a whole lot smoother than some budget laptops. Plus, if you can upgrade the RAM to at least 8GB, you'll set yourself up pretty well. No need to rush into buying a new device!
And you could always remote desktop into the Raspberry Pi from your Mac, which is a neat way to handle your setup!