How long have you been coding for?
I've been coding for about three years now, on and off.
What is your favorite coding language and why?
To be honest, i don't really have a favorite language. I like combining web related ones (XHTML/CSS/PHP/MySQL) to create websites. If i had to choose a favorite though, i'd probably go for PHP. I find it to be difficult, but a very powerful language.
What got you interested in coding?
Newgrounds.com. I started dabaling with flash at a young age, and from there moved on to programming for the web.
What compilers do you like to use?
I haven't really messed with any languages that need a compiler yet. I remember giving C++ a bash a while back though. Complicated language. I think i used code::blocks which i found to be quite nice.
What is your favorite IDE?
Notepad++ hands down. I like the simplicity and style of it. You can load it up in under a second and get coding right away. For quick code snippets or much larger projects, Notepad++ is definatley the way forward.
What is your least favorite language and why?
I'd probably say JavaScript. It's a useful language, but i really seem to struggle with it when i need to use it. Maybe it's just lack of practice...
What do you enjoy most about coding?
Seeing a completed script up and running. It gives a sense of pride to sit back, watch and think "I damn well created that!".
How did you learn to code?
Through various online tutorials, the occassional book and the kind people of the Newgrounds Programming Forum.
What are your favorite coding books?
I generally prefer to use online tutorials as apposed to books. One book i did find really useful however, it's called Visual Blueprint: PHP 5.
How old were you when you started to code?
Probably about fourteen. I started getting serious about it at about sixteen though.
What do you use your coding languages for?
Creating websites, be that the front end of them or the back end. I enjoy both aspects.
How many hours a week on average do you spend coding?
It really depends on how i'm feeling that week, and whether i have any jobs on at that time. The great thing about doing this as a hobby is that i can choose when i want to program and when i want to do something else. Very few restrictions.
What language do you use the most?
Definatley XHTML & CSS, as there key to web-design and development. Followed closely by PHP, when i'm working on a specific script.
What language do you think is the most productive for yourself, and why?
Probably all three of the above. The first two are markup languages yes, but you can create some stunning things with them. And with PHP, the possibilities are almost endless.
Have you ever done freelance (paid work) for someone, if so please explain?
Yes. I tend to do a fair bit of it, and hope to keep on doing so. Probably 75% of what i create is freelance work. The other 25% counts towards personal projects, or if i script something for the hell of it.
Do you enjoy freelance work and why?
Absoloutley. In my eyes its a great way to make a little extra cash in your spare time. With the added bonus of making it doing something i love.
What do you think makes a good coder?
Patience and determination. When coding, there are thousands of problems that can arise, making patience a neccesay. Same with determination. If your not determined to fix your script and get it working, you won't go far with it.
Did you learn how to code at University, if so where and what course?
No, i've yet to attend Uni actually. Still at college. Everything so far has been self-taught.
Do you code for fun or because you have to at work?
A sort of crossover between both really. I enjoy coding, and i do freelance work to earn a little extra cash.
How many of your friends enjoy coding, if so how many?
Very few, if indeed any at all. My friends definatley think i'm different for spending hours in front of a bunch of letters, numbers and symbols that make no sense (to them anyway).
Have you ever worked on an Open Source project, if so what was the project?
Not really to be honest. I sometimes create things for fun, or because i feel it might come in handy at a later date. Those things usually get offered for download for free, so i could guess you could call them open source projects.
What was the most recent thing about coding that you have learnt?
It was actually something most people are already familiar with. That checkboxes can be a bitch and a half to style via CSS. Yes it's possible, but not as easily as say, styling a text field. Having very rarely used checkboxes, i had no idea of this beforehand.
What is your ideal environment & comforts when coding? Eg, in a quiet office with some coffee.
From about 7pm onwards, some music playing (nothing too overpowering) and a couple of beers. Bliss :)
What has aided you the most when coding?
Definatley the Newgrounds Programming Forum. It's where i went when i first started coding, and i still go there to this day when stuck with something.
What language have you been the least productive in?
JavaScript. I learnt the basics a while ago, and didn't feel the need to learn anymore. Probably due to the fact that i find it quite hard to grasp.
What language do you plan on learning next, and why?
I plan on improving my knowledge of PHP, before moving onto an application based language. Maybe Ruby On Rails or perhaps i'll give C++ another look.
What distracts you most when coding?
Socialising and other things i enjoy. Sometimes the temptation of a party or game on the 360 is just too hard to resist.
When did you last do a hackathon?
Never. I prefer to work solo really. When working with a team, i tend to think about doing a certain thing differently. Working on my own, i can bypass this problem and just get on with coding.
What sort of things have you coded?
At the minute, a variety of websites and templates, and several scripts written in PHP. Among these are CMS's, blogging scripts, contact forms, upload forms and more.
What are you most proud of coding?
I was pretty proud of my CMS/News Posting System when i created it. Unfortunatley the site it was connected with went under. Maybe sometime in the not so distant future i can brush it up a bit and release it, open source.
Where do you get your ideas from for a project?
For personal projects, ideas just seem to pop into my head. Otherwise it's whatever the client wants.
What motivates you to keep coding?
The fact that i enjoy it, and i know i'm doing something worthwhile and interesting. |
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Danny Westhorpe (18)
United Kingdom, Cleveland |
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