Ask Slashdot: Am I Too Old To Learn New Programming Languages? 772
ProgramadorPerdido writes "I have been a developer for 25 years. I learned Basic, VB, C, FoxPro, Cobol, and Assembler, but the languages I used the most were Pascal and Delphi. I then concentrated on a now-non-mainstream language for 11 years, as it was used at work. One day I had the chance to move into Project Management and so I did for the last 2 years. Now, at almost 40 years old, I'm at a crossroad. On one side I realized developing is the thing I like best, while on the other side, the languages I'm most proficient with are not that hot on the market. So I came here looking for any advice on how to advance my career. Should I try to learn web development (html, xhtml, css, php, python, ruby)? Should I learn Java and/or C#? Or am I too old to learn and work a new language? Should I go back to PM work even if I do not like it that much? Any similar experiences?"
Both are correct it seems (Score:5, Informative)
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Assembler_%28computer_programming%29#Related_terminology [wikimedia.org]
Just harder (Score:5, Informative)
I'm about your age. My impression is that new learning is still possible, but it requires more time and effort. So I'd say it partially depends on how motivated you are.
Re:ASM (Score:4, Informative)
for example http://publibfp.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr/download/asmr1020.pdf [ibm.com] or http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wmqv7/v7r0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.mq.csqzal.doc/fg19060_.htm [ibm.com]
you diaper wearing puppies can go off and make up your own rules if you want, but don't be surprised if we older and wiser suddenly beat you with our ear horn
Re:Stay Put (Score:2, Informative)
It may shame to to read the history of the U.S.A. but you'll find that democrats were the slave owners [wikipedia.org], democrats were pro law of succession. Democrats were against the 3/5ths law [wikipedia.org]. Democrats ruled for slavery in the Dred Scott [wikipedia.org] case. After the civil war, democrats were pro segregation [wikipedia.org], democrats voted against every single civil rights act [wikipedia.org] all the way up to the last one. Wilson, a democrat president segregated the army. [wikipedia.org] Here's a fine quote for you
GOTTA LOVE THOSE DEMOCRATS!
Truman had to use a executive order to repeal segregation in the army because he knew it would be opposed by segregationist democrats in the south. One of the great democrat thinkers Pierre-Joseph Proudhon [wikipedia.org] said famously "Property is theft!" [wikipedia.org].
That you know none of this and you think that ""Liberalism" is the Enlightenment philosophy of individual liberty upon which the US was founded." proves to me that you are a product of our wonderful education system that is run by liberals. To help educate you: Liberalism is the push in the U.S. to bring European style socialism or communism to the U.S.A.
PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELF! Read The Law [constitution.org].