Hi everyone! I'm completely new to programming and I'm diving into it for fun since I've got a lot of free time on my hands due to health issues. I have a solid background in analog electronics—I've built tube amplifiers and various effects pedals—but I'm a total newbie when it comes to software. I've been going through 'Code' by Charles Petzold, starting from the basics like Morse code, and I feel like I'm grasping the fundamentals of Boolean algebra pretty well. My ultimate dream? To create a simulator for EFI fuel maps. Here are my burning questions:
1. Is it realistic for someone like me, a hobbyist, to build this simulator, or is it typically a job for professionals?
2. I've started exploring different programming languages and understand that each has its strengths. Should I focus on learning one language deeply, or get a feel for a few? Which language do you think would be best for my project?
3. I know EFI simulators already exist; my goal is to challenge myself by building my own.
4. I would greatly appreciate any advice on misconceptions I might have, mistakes to avoid, or general insights. I'm especially curious about what my next steps should be after finishing my current book.
5. Until now, all my studying has been done through books and notes. Is that a good way to start, or should I be typing out some code already? I feel like I'm not quite ready for my big project yet, but I'm unsure of simpler projects to begin with.
6. I apologize if my questions seem vague; I just feel a bit overwhelmed. Thanks so much for any guidance you can provide!
2 Answers
It's great that you're diving into programming! Honestly, you need to get hands-on and start coding as soon as you can. You’ll only learn programming by actually writing code. I’d recommend starting with Python since it's beginner-friendly and has excellent libraries for mathematical operations, which you’ll likely need for your simulator. Just remember, you can’t solely rely on books—get your IDE open and start typing! It’s through making mistakes that you'll learn—whether that’s a missing semicolon or debugging logic errors.
You can definitely tackle this project as a hobbyist with enough dedication! There's no programming task that a hobbyist can't achieve with some time and patience. As for languages, you're right—each has its purpose. Since you have an interest in hardware, I’d suggest starting with C. It’s widely used in embedded systems, making it a good fit for your fuel mapping simulator. But don’t hesitate to try new languages as you get more comfortable! Just make sure you're also practicing coding and not just reading about it.
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