I haven't coded properly (as in actually delivering a useful product) for probably 15 years. I do really enjoy coding and plan to do it as a hobby for a while, building to the point where I have a useful skillset when I retire in 10 years. Partly for earning potential but mostly to keep myself mentally engaged.
I have done plenty of coding over the years but it's been a while. I understand OO, I have C# and Java basics but not current platform and IDE knowledge. I can deal with the basics of DB design, know a little about networking, but know next to nothing about mobile app development and deployment. I have a specific project in mind for the next couple of years which will require a central DB, mobile clients for data submission and verification and browser-based reports. Mobile platforms will include IOS and Android and they'll cater for local data acquisition and forwarding when connection is available.
I'm looking for recommendations for the best way to get started, ease myself back into it. I'd much rather start on Android than IOS (hence posting here). I wouldn't really care if the next few years efforts were throwaway work - it's regaining the experience that matters.
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Hello I appreciate the time you are taking to read my thread!
I have a background in real estate development and no programming experience. I already have a bachelors in Business (emphasis Finance). I am currently getting my MBA in an evening program at one of the top 20 schools in the world. I don't want to go back into real estate and want to get into the tech industry.
What I really want is to become a mobile applications developer (ios/andriod).
I can financially support my existence with a part-time job and the MBA really isn't that hard because I have an undergrad degree in business. These activities will take about 35 hours of my time a week, 45 hours during finals week.
So, I want to go back and get a degree so I can break into this field. So I am looking for recommendations.
Looking at the local state college it looks like the program is really outdated and I won't learn much practical knowledge. Having already done a bunch of college I don't really want to spend my time getting a degree to have another degree. I want to be at least relatively work force ready at graduation.
So it looks like my only option is to do an online degree.
I have identified a few options.
Full Sail, this was the only program I could find where you can specifically study Mobile development. I like that its completely project based because I will learn practical experience. Having a completed app by graduation will certainly help find a job I would think. It is however expensive and I have seen some complaints about the school online. However these complaints seemed to be mostly from people pursing a recording arts degree. IMO its crazy to pursue a degree where thousands of people graduate for only a few new openings a year. Could probably graduate in about 2 years.
Western Governors University. Has lots of good reviews online and is quite inexpensive ($6000 a year). Also you get 18 tech certifications as you go through the program. I am worried it will be less practical and it will certainly take more time. Also, its in "software" in general. So I would need to spend additional time after graduation getting more certifications and building an app to get hired most likely.
Baker College, I haven't heard much about it. It's also pretty inexpensive. Looks like it could take a while.
I have also seen Mobile development certifications from Champlain College and University of Washington Online
I would love to hear of what tech professionals think about these degrees/programs. Also, if you have heard of any other options please let me know!
Sorry I'm not a tech pro but I did enroll into Full Sail Mobile App program. I am starting on the 30th of this month. I did 3 months of extensive research including some of the schools you mentioned, and from what I have found is that Full Sail offers the best Mobile Program you can find. The applications they teach you to use is future proof. What I mean by that for example is once you learn Adobe CSS 5.5, it will be easy to transition into CSS 6, or 6.5 when it does come out. The only down side I see to it is that you are going to pay for it. The program is expensive $57,000 total for a B.A.S. From what I see is its worth it, if your serious about pursuing this career field, Full Sail is the way to go if you can afford it. Its either this or learn old soon to be outdated tools at other schools only to end up trying to catch up even after you graduate.
breaking in to the mobile dev industry
I have a similar interest in getting started in the mobile app development industry. i agree with the initial poster that going to a brick and mortar school to learn will soon be outdated once you graduate. It's hard for them to keep up with the changing nature of the industry.
I have zero experience in programming and mobile app development. As I learn about the field, I have more questions.
I haven't looked into the different programs available, but I would imagine there are some free resources to learn some basics without having to go through a degree. What does a degree even mean? I feel that being able to create something tangible is more valuable than a piece of paper. I'm sure there is a benefit to the degree as it gives you the necessary background information. W3schools offers free online training in a plethora of disciplines...html, css xml...and so on. I just need to find out which ones I need to focus on, and how to put it all together.
60K for a degree is a lot. Hope you are able to find a job afterward to pay off the loan, or if you're lucky to recoup the investment of the tuition.
Hi i am interested in becoming a developer. I have been researching schools that have bachelor degrees in mobile operating systems. The most clear cut program i have found is through full sail university.. However they font have the best credentials. I had wondering what some of the developers and mods might think of full sail and any recommendations they might have for other programs
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Others can correct me if they disagree, but I think that the reason that you're not finding much in the way of "mobile operating systems" degree programs is that there just aren't that many schools that have a program that narrowly focused, especially in an area so (relatively) newly booming. I'm interested in a career in mobile developemtn and I'm nearing the end of a Computer Science bachelors program, and I feel like I've been very well served by it -- I think you're much more likely to find long-term success if you look more towards a general Computer Science degree at a reputable college or university rather than some flashy super-specific program at a for-profit school like Full Sail University. I'm not inclined to say that their program would hold up.
lyric234 said:
Hi i am interested in becoming a developer. I have been researching schools that have bachelor degrees in mobile operating systems. The most clear cut program i have found is through full sail university.. However they font have the best credentials. I had wondering what some of the developers and mods might think of full sail and any recommendations they might have for other programs
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What you want is a BS in computer science because you need to learn the languages, not how to do one specific thing. The main idea behind it all is learning how to think like a programmer. I've seen mobile app dev classes at my university, but they normally require pre req computer science classes and they aren't part of a degree program.
- In reality though many programmers never go to school. Everything you need to know is on the internet. It will be a long road but well worth it, the hardest part is getting started, and sticking with it. I'd suggest starting here:
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/want-to-learn-how-to-program-for-android-start-here/
I agree with the other two posters. Dont pursue a degree in mobile developing. Who knows, maybe within 5 years the next big thing might be here and render all this mobile stuff useless. However, all this programming and how to think like a programmer stuff will still be around, not to say that things you learn from mobile development wont be relevant though. When you fully decide to go this route, stick with it and be dedicated. You will spend many, many, many nights trying to do the simplest things. You will need plenty of time to study and code. If you have kids, it'll be even tougher but still doable if you are dedicated, you'll just simply sleep a lot less. There will also be many night when some strange errors will seem unsolvable and that's when it'll push you to your limits. At that point, it makes or breaks a lot of people and I have reason to believe it breaks a lot of folks. Anyway, its a long road ahead. It took me a very long time to create my fist app and it was the simplest app ever. If I had to build that app again, I could probably do it in less than a hour and it'll probably be better than the first one, haha. Also, most developers know that its something like 90% of the code is already written for you, its the 10% of what you code that make it unique and yours. Good luck.
Hello,
First things first, thank you for clicking on the link.
I am a computer science major about 1/3 of the way through my educational career. I have been exploring opportunities each summer through internships and volunteerism how to be a better programmer and become more pragmatic in my approach. Recently, I have drawn up ideas for a UX design concept. Obviously, since I am a noob developer and know nothing about GUI (my classes in school completely skip over this section and it has always interested me). The most I have done was take a data structures and algorithms class which is like intermediate java. I have html experience as well and just started css course in code academy.
I figured this would be the best place to ask since it is a pretty large community of well-versed developers; not just for android but for the windows 8 and apple platforms as well.
What books, websites, mentors do you recommend I learn from in order to enhance my skillset so that I may implement these design concepts I have come up with. Honestly, they are all ideas on paper right now. I want to even slightly implement them so any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.
Grandadd said:
Hello,
First things first, thank you for clicking on the link.
I am a computer science major about 1/3 of the way through my educational career. I have been exploring opportunities each summer through internships and volunteerism how to be a better programmer and become more pragmatic in my approach. Recently, I have drawn up ideas for a UX design concept. Obviously, since I am a noob developer and know nothing about GUI (my classes in school completely skip over this section and it has always interested me). The most I have done was take a data structures and algorithms class which is like intermediate java. I have html experience as well and just started css course in code academy.
I figured this would be the best place to ask since it is a pretty large community of well-versed developers; not just for android but for the windows 8 and apple platforms as well.
What books, websites, mentors do you recommend I learn from in order to enhance my skillset so that I may implement these design concepts I have come up with. Honestly, they are all ideas on paper right now. I want to even slightly implement them so any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time.
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I would suggest you try Human-Computer Interaction on coursera. Its a free course conducted by a professor from Stanford through the coursera platform. It'll give you a basic understanding of UX, UI and interaction. The course may feel a bit rushed because the assignments may take some time to do. This of course, depends on individuals so some people may not feel rushed and some may feel they need more than the allocated time. It takes about 9 weeks to complete. The latest offering just finished but there should be another one being offered in september or so.
This course is not a certified course and will not gain you credit though. Even so, I feel its one of the best courses on coursera. I know i gained a lot from it. You could read up about it and use the "watchlist" feature so you'll know when the next offering is. Here's the link:
coursera.org/course/hci
As the title says I'm a Pre-med Biology Major thinking of double majoring in computer science (purely because of my new profound love for android and the way it intuitively becomes a big tool of my life.) As a junior moving into higher level physics and bio classes. Could I manage coding classes as well. I'm a pretty good student, 3.1 GPA. Is it even necessary to get university lecture on the material, or can it be self taught? I've always had a knack for computers and was upgrading hardware on a brand new Windows ME system when I was like 8-9. Yeah it exists, Google it lol.
Bottom line, where do I start? I think if Organic Chemistry II doesn't do me in, I might have a fighting chance.
Suggestions? Languages to learn?
Thanks,
Edit: I'm really proficient with the adobe suite. Any perks with that?
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not sure what its like in the states, but in Australia pretty much all university computer science courses teach you Java first, then use that as a basis for more advanced subjects. Which is handy as Android apps in particular are built using the Java framework.
If you want to get into Android then take Java. I know you can build apps with C++ as well but Java is a lot more common.
I think any graphics tool skills will be useful if you are creating your own apps. If you are an android programmer for a development house then you would have a graphics team doing that work for you.
I say learn Java to start out, its the main language for just about every android app/game. And I too have a love for science (chemistry, biology)
And computers.
Nothing should stop you from learning, and nothing should stop you from thinking freely. Do what you love!
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Get your first degree and then move on to the second if you wish. If you jump around too much, some unexpected life event may come and you will be stuck with a whole bunch of credits and not much to show for it.
Unlike most other fields, computer science and IT is actually mostly self taught. This is the one field that traditional university isn't a necessity and thats why there's so many certifications and phenomenal self study resources. So if you're interested, start reading up.
That being said, I would be careful with your choice with a Biology degree. Dont get me wrong, its a totally different story if you live and breathe medicine and are 100% committed on pursuing medical school. However, if you dont go the MD route, a Biology degree in the real world won't get you very far. I've know plenty of people with Pre-Med degrees who are back in school a second time cuz they can barely find a job.
Just a few things to think about....
Hi all,
Please give any opinions all very welcome
I messed up at school and have done everything the hard way self taught in everything. Ive been in the security systems field for 10 years.
I went back to college 10 years ago at night and did C++ , it was supposed to be a foundation course but it was a 2 year course crammed into a year and had to be a job related field for 2 years min, i have never done it before but i told the lecturer who said i was on the wrong course that i would sit in the corner and catch up, i caught up in a few weeks and finished the year with a 98% distinction, he said he couldnt believe it and i should to a diploma. i couldnt as it was full time and i had a mortgage and family.
Things are different now and i have a year for study.
My question is should i continue with C++ or start and concentrate on Java & linux
Ideally i want to be able to write apps that can earn me money, if this isnt possible initially (after a year) then use what ive learnt to work part time as linux or java system admin/ dev
Thanks
Barks
barkx said:
Things are different now and i have a year for study.
My question is should i continue with C++ or start and concentrate on Java & linux
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Depends on the stuff you prefer to code. If you're more into Linux, Embedded System adn Real Time OSes then you should stick with C/C++. You should learn the new stull though like the boost library (it were popular nowadays) especially you should learn to use boost::shared_ptr which free a C++ programmer from the burden of manual memory menagment. You should also get a book on modern C++ programming (10 years ago C++ code looked more like C with classes now it's more Java like with a big focus on parterns, good OO design, boost, stl).
If you want to code enterprise Web Applications, PC applications or Android then go with Java (although C++ is also usful for phone programming).
barkx said:
Ideally i want to be able to write apps that can earn me money, if this isnt possible initially (after a year) then use what ive learnt to work part time as linux or java system admin/ dev
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Really depends on the place you live in and how many job offers there are. In some places the demand for programmer is so big now that you can get hired with the stuff you already know (10 years in the sec industry and C++ knowladge). My company for example hires people that know a thing or two about computers and programming and teaches the rest (you get like a year to learn the ropes or you're out). The only thing requires is to be a fast learner, get the job done and to have a personality that allowes you to work with others.
buggs2k said:
Depends on the stuff you prefer to code. If you're more into Linux, Embedded System adn Real Time OSes then you should stick with C/C++. You should learn the new stull though like the boost library (it were popular nowadays) especially you should learn to use boost::shared_ptr which free a C++ programmer from the burden of manual memory menagment. You should also get a book on modern C++ programming (10 years ago C++ code looked more like C with classes now it's more Java like with a big focus on parterns, good OO design, boost, stl).
If you want to code enterprise Web Applications, PC applications or Android then go with Java (although C++ is also usful for phone programming).
Really depends on the place you live in and how many job offers there are. In some places the demand for programmer is so big now that you can get hired with the stuff you already know (10 years in the sec industry and C++ knowladge). My company for example hires people that know a thing or two about computers and programming and teaches the rest (you get like a year to learn the ropes or you're out). The only thing requires is to be a fast learner, get the job done and to have a personality that allowes you to work with others.
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521 views and finally a reply... thanks for taking the time mate, much appreciated :good:
barks
barkx said:
521 views and finally a reply... thanks for taking the time mate, much appreciated :good:
barks
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No problem Take care.
Being a good developer and a good sys admin are I would say, two quite different things. Personally I would spend some time working out which you *really* want to do, and follow that path.
If you're going to write apps, you're not gonna be able to do it in C++, it's that simple. Sure there's the NDK but the UI has to be in Java anyway, and it's (in most cases) unnecessary to write the app in C++ anyway. If you're writing something where you really need to be closer to the hardware then fine, but for normal apps/games it just doesn't make sense.
What I would recommend is start writing some simple apps - firstly you'll see if you like doing it, and secondly you'll learn so much. Reading about stuff only gets you so far! There are great resources online for tutorials, or like stackoverflow where you can ask questions.
Making money from apps in my opinion is more about the app and the idea than the implementation. I think it's pretty difficult to write an app that actually generates any revenue without a great idea or great game concept.