I've used linuxquestions occasionally for random, noobish inquiries. But recently, I've been spending my time sitting in front of my computer, messing around with various programs, trying coding, animation, gaming, cracking, stealing, hacking...whatever to keep me busy. But - I want something to focus on. If this box full of transistors is gonna be my life, I'd like it to have a purpose. I trust a lot of the veteran users on this site, and the Linux community houses some of my closest friends. So guys - any suggestions? I'd love to know what I should do with my life. And please don't tell me I need to figure it out for myself - I'm working on that. I'd just like to know what you think, and where you think this industry is headed. I'd appreciate it. My name is Joe and I'm 15.

Also....I've gotta Mandrake web server that I've been hosting some forums on, but thats lame. What should I use the server for?

do what most of the rest of us do: finish high school, go to college, get a job, get married, have kids, get old, get sick, die. pretty basic.

Haha, thanks syn. What have you done with your life so far? Tell me your story. The community would be happy to hear it.

...a,b,c,d,e,... like that, we seem to be sheeps following the shepherd, I suggest you do l,i,n,u,x,... and something constructive with your life, according to your priorities, not to a have-to-be way of living.

Hm. Well whats constructive? I'd like to get back into programming...I haven't done it a lot in the last couple years. Whats the best way to get back into it?

Your 15 and want to get BACK into programming
If you like programming start now and when your 30 you will not regret it. When I was 15 I remember playing around with BASIC and I really wish I would have stuck with it and went on to learn C++ and other languages, By now I would probably be doing something I like instead of what I am doing.
Bottom line is you are young and have the time to start a career now and go on to build a great life for yourself. Dont just dabble around with a bunch of different things in life ( like me, lol) Choose something you like to do, stick with it and make it a career.

Thats cool. Thanks, i really appriciate it. I shouldn't really say get back into...I messed with basic when i was like 11, and then went through a couple others and ended up working with C++ for a while. Right now i'm just messing around with PHP with a mySQL database and some flash.

Ok. Here is a simple answer. Look for stuff that challanges you. If you are getting bored with what you know now. Then look for something, anything that gives you a challange. There are a lot of things out there. Make a couple of lists. First make a list of all the things that are computer related. Then make a second list of all the things you know about computers. Then out of the two lists find what you like and what challanges you without putting you to sleep. If you find that you have several interests then work on them one at a time or a couple at a time. There is so much out there the biggest problem is sorting it out and staying focused on all that you choose.

Personally my first love is web design. From that I am branching out to other realted interests. But I love everything and anything that has to do with computers.

Edit:
I forgot to add that I agree partially with the above. You should find one interest and stick with it but you are 15. Right now look around and try as much as you can then when you are around 18 then start focusing more on one thing, or two.




Webwolf

So that's the right order...

Damn it, that really would have solved some problems...

hehe

basically that was just my way of saying: you're only 15, don't worry about it too much. like the others have said, get involved with what you like and let the rest take care of itself. most of all, have fun.

I am a little worried about the "cracking, stealing". If you are 15 and can code, animation, linux and other things you don't want to get caught up in that, they don't have boxes full of transistors in jail or juvieniel detention centers for you to use. I am also 15 and just doing what I like. I have also found it more fufilling to help out in organizations and be part of communities, it has more of a purpose than, say, recompiling your kernel. Messing around in linux is fun, talking on irc and lq. Find something you care about and then become involved in an organization with that goal, or create your own. I care about free speech and software, and copyright laws so I'm helping out with FreeCulture.org.

You can never replace the people in your life.
You can never relive the times of your life.

If you constantly worry about where you are going, you will never get to enjoy where you are.

Do what you love, love what you do, and above all work at being a human being and not a human doing.

All the rest will take care of itself.

That is the secret of life.

You guys sure all full of opinions. Thanks. As for Darin...I'm not one for the warm and fuzzy feeling. Sorry pal. Thanks though, and I completely respect your opinion. After I read some of your posts I downloaded the DirectX 9 SDK....very cool stuff.

I suggest you join an open source project, it will look good on your resume when your old enough to join the workforce, and it will impress the girls.
http://www.linux.org/projects/

1. find hobbies and enjoy them
2. find two things that interest you career wise and focus on learning them now so that when you're ready for college you'll have some head sup
3. take life one day at a time...forget yesterday and dont sweat tomorrow
4. respect and appreciate time: once gone you will never get it back
5. laziness is like a disease..never give in to it
6. enjoy your youth and always be young
7. find a reason to smile everyday
8. plan all the way to the end
9. never try and do too much...you'll only stress yourself and will age quicker
10. always wear clean underwear and socks...

dont know why I put that last one in the list but you never know when you're going to meet a cute girl so make sure you always smell nice because people remember you by what you look, sound and smell like..