Where did YOU learn so much about computers?

[lariz]

I've always wondered where you guys got your experience with computers. Did you take classes, is this your career, or was it something that you learned on your own?

I ask this because I'm getting ready to start college soon with a CS degree in mind, and I was wondering where I could get the most experience with computers before going off to class. Are there any general sites or books you've read that really helped you out?
I'm not talking abut the basics, I would like to study every possible aspect of computers, everything from networking, to computer graphics, to programming.

I would like to walk into class on the first day and possibly know more than the teacher.

 

[Juno]

self-taught FTW.

 

[new2AMD]

Originally posted by: Juno
self-taught FTW.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

hardware..............from my geek cousin.

software.............books and some classes.

 

[MisterJackson]

My Great Great Great Grandfather brought the family A+ book over with him from Germany. They tried to take it from him at Ellis island, but he stashed it ala Walken in Pulp Fiction style.

I shall pass it down to my son one day once he returns to me a SPARTAAAAAAAN!!!!!

 

[Juno]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
My Great Great Great Grandfather brought the family A+ book over with him from Germany. They tried to take it from him at Ellis island, but he stashed it ala Walken in Pulp Fiction style.

I shall pass it down to my son one day once he returns to me a SPARTAAAAAAAN!!!!!

:laugh:

 

[clamum]

I started when I got my first computer in fifth grade, just tinkering around what whatever I could get my hands on. Learned how to build them, troubleshoot software/hardware, did a little programming. Then taught myself how to create webpages. By the time I went to college I knew a decent amount of tech support type things but hadn't done a whole lot of programming. Learned quite a bit of that in school (CS major) and it's now what I do for a living.

In summary, a large amount of what I know is self-taught, besides most of what I know about programming. The web scripting I know (PHP and ASP classic) is self-taught as well as most of what I know about databases.

 

[her209]

To really truly understand how a computer works, you have to understand the theory and concepts.

 

[fisheerman]

Originally posted by: new2AMD

Originally posted by: Juno
self-taught FTW.

same here

self taught developer, programmer, systems analyst, dba

-fish

 

[Beev]

Got my first real computer back in 6th grade. Played with it, made mistakes, learned from said mistakes (I once tried to zip my entire C drive to "save space").

 

[lyssword]

read books from library, read magazines in hastings, read hardware review sites, get your own computer and mess around with it

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: fisheerman

Originally posted by: new2AMD

Originally posted by: Juno
self-taught FTW.

same here

self taught developer, programmer, systems analyst, dba

-fish

same

 

[Tremulant]

self-taught...

I used to mess around with the Apple IIe that we had. Got my first PC at 11 or 12, and began tinkering/fixing stuff/etc. Neighbor of ours built us a PC 3-4 years later and I began tinkering with that also. Ended up fixing some problems that he couldn't figure out. Took programming classes in HS, but didn't like writing programs for others.

I really didn't have ambitions of being 'the computer guy' but that's kinda where I've been lead.

edit: current job is tech support/help desk..

 

[TheStu]

Its all about a willingness to learn, and then going out there and doing it. A lot of people use the same old excuse "I would build my own computer, but I don't know how" I think that too many people still see computers as magic boxes filled with smoke and bull$hit, but that simply isn't true. Honestly, it is dirt simple to build a computer these days since it is pretty much impossible to screw things up severely. The worst thing that a person can do is force things into place, so once you realize that is a bad thing, you will be fine.

I learned the bulk of my stuff from experience. Took a CCNA course, and an A+ course in high school so I could fill out my schedule, but didn't really learn much in the A+ course.

 

[Aikouka]

Computer broke sometimes... I fixed it... sometimes . Essentially, my knowledge came from having the issue or a similar issue crop up before.

Programming knowledge came from self-taught and having a CS degree .

 

[imported_Imp]

I don't know as much as you "real" IT people, but quite a bit more than the average joe. Hardware is mainly self-taught, interest and hobby. I like buying new stuff, and hooking/building it on my own. Software was highschool and college, which I have now come to hate.

 

[TXHokie]

Funny it all started from trying to tweak my computer to play Doom.

 

[AMCRambler]

Friends who are into computers got em hooked, but the rest pretty much self taught. Anyone who spent a decent amount of time trying to get games to work on a Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 machine will invariably end up learning more than they ever wanted to know about how a computer works.
I really got my feet wet trying to get a pirated copy of Doom from my buddy. He copied off his friends cd, and since I had no cd drive in my 386, we were using the good old dos pkzip/pkunzip utilities with the span option to put it on 5 floppies, lol. Learned all my dos commands and directory/file architecture from trying to figure that out.

 

[Platypus]

Taking shit apart and putting it back together.. breaking and rebreaking and rebreaking....

 

[AmpedSilence]

most of my shooting knowledge is self taught. I would be break stuff on my first computer on purpose and try to fix it. There were many OS reinstalls, but thats how it goes.

almost all of my software programming knowledge comes from my CS minor and subsequent MS degree. HTML/Javascipt i taught myself thought.

It's all about the drive to learn and push yourself to do more. With the internet as a resource you can really teach yourself anything you want as far as IT goes.

 

[BKLounger]

my aunt started by teaching me computer basics on an old commodore she gave me, I learned software development from college and computer hardware and general programs were either self taught or I downloaded elearning videos and watched them.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
Anyone who spent a decent amount of time trying to get games to work on a Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 machine will invariably end up learning more than they ever wanted to know about how a computer works.

:laugh: Ain't that the truth.

 

[Tremulant]

Originally posted by: clamum

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
Anyone who spent a decent amount of time trying to get games to work on a Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 machine will invariably end up learning more than they ever wanted to know about how a computer works.

:laugh: Ain't that the truth.

I had pushed most of my Windows 95 memories out the door until I read that line. *shudder*

 

[Cogman]

newer computer learners are lucky as well. They have the Wiki. Sure, it might have JFK being shot by Al Sharpton last year, but we computer geeks will be damned if it says a Celeron M 340 is a socket 479, instead of a 478 :|

 

[StevenYoo]

hardware from a friend. We built 386's together and such.

software, mostly on my own bu futzing around