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Thread: How many Flash developers have relevant formal education

  1. #21
    Now tell me whos watchin...... samvillian's Avatar
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    Wow, i would've loved to go to a high school that praised computers as much as yours. We only had a typing class.. Would've loved it, but still started flash in high school as my first language (as2).
    If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

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  2. #22
    doItLikeThis
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    why is the song "we don't need no education" playing in my head while reading this thread...?
    -Aditya

  3. #23
    Senior Member webgeek's Avatar
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    I don't have any formal education in programming. Most of our developers though have some form of Computer Science degree. Ironically enough though, two of our developers both have Music degrees
    And to be honest, if you get a degree in programmming, you'll be teaching yourself in a few years time anyway when what you learned on your course has gone out of date and you want to keep up with the latest developments.
    This is a common misconception. Everyone assumes getting a CS degree teaches your programming languages which go out of date all the time. In reality it teaches you programming algorithms and data structures along with theory and such. Learning a new language is quite simple. Once you know a couple of them well enough, learning a new one is just a matter of learning the API and syntax which takes a few months to get down solid.

    I can't even begin to describe how many times a self-taught programmer has asked about some simple problem that their first-year data structure class would have helped them solve quickly and easily. I'm not saying you can't learn this stuff on your own by any means BUT a CS degree (not CIS or MIS) would have covered a lot of it for you.

  4. #24
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    if people just aim for flash a relevant formal education might not be necessary- you propably can get the required skills for that within 1 or 2 years as trainee in a agency.
    But if you want to grow into anything larger than just a webdesigner or minigame designer (or as some here coder) than imo. a real education is the way to go. I´d hate myself if I wouldn´t had gone to university because the horizont and wide expierence I have now is beyond what I even could have imagined before.

    I am one of these students that go like everyday to the university (I have open access to all the pools and even a private computer). My building that I usually visit even has its own kitchen so students that work there can prepare their own food, thus also alot of time students like me and others prepare dinner together often combined with having projects together on that we work even in the weekends, because we like it.

    In my oppinion university life is so much different as the usual one because at least here I am encouraged to do just my university stuff - its a life with a full focus on the things you like to create.
    I know once I start working I will have without doubt less time toying around (if even at all) with new stuff and I guess that is also the reason why I try to squize out as much oppertunities as possible here with my other colleagues.

  5. #25
    Senior Member Gohloum's Avatar
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    No formal training in software engineering, but my story is somewhat interesting.

    Graduated from performing arts high school in 1988 accelling in all my music theory classes.

    Took a 2 year trade school course at Florida Tech Institute in Jacksonville Florida for computer hardware and repair. (it literally taught nothing about software but some good computer theory and basics)

    Chased a musical career for about the next decade, working day jobs with home AV installation companies.

    Decided in 1999 I needed something that was interesting and behind a desk because Florida is too hot for pulling wire around in attics for home theaters and lately, all the musicians I had worked with were on crack or acted like it and I could not deal with them.

    In 2000, advice from friends and family (and a brother in law at Autodesk), said I should look into programming. (I think I spent over $2500 dollars in software books that year!!!!)

    Landed first software job in 2001 doing Perl, Flash, ASP, and SQL...

    See, you can teach an old dog new tricks! If you are new to the field, don't give up and whatever you do, find time to code every day. It will greatly help you.
    The Early Bird may get the worm, but the second mouse to the trap gets the cheese...

  6. #26
    Senior Member Gohloum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by webgeek
    In reality it teaches you programming algorithms and data structures along with theory and such. Learning a new language is quite simple. Once you know a couple of them well enough, learning a new one is just a matter of learning the API and syntax which takes a few months to get down solid.

    I can't even begin to describe how many times a self-taught programmer has asked about some simple problem that their first-year data structure class would have helped them solve quickly and easily. I'm not saying you can't learn this stuff on your own by any means BUT a CS degree (not CIS or MIS) would have covered a lot of it for you.
    Let me make a supporting point on Webgeek's comment above. What I did't mention is that I had accessible to me 2 individuals, one with a master's in Computer Science and both with 20 years in the industry. They were able to advise me on theory, structures, meta concepts, etc. Without that, I would have never kept my first job because I had only dabbled with Perl and SQL. However, I was able to identify the solution to problems in theory, and it was just a matter of having a desk reference handy to get the syntax correct.

    So yes, if you can get the degree, that would be a very good choice, otherwise find resources that can help you in this area.
    The Early Bird may get the worm, but the second mouse to the trap gets the cheese...

  7. #27
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    Qualification in micro electronic engineering & science, I got a math distinction which I really wasn't expecting and was really happy about. Started programming when I was very very young, but it was BASIC and when I looked at C I didn't get it because there were no line numbers lol... Started working with flash after a client asked me if I could make a game ( I was a web & graphic designer at the time )...I gave it a try and had a huge positive responce and I really engoyed it.

    RipX

  8. #28
    Senior Member Ray Beez's Avatar
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    Left a Graphic Design college program to go work for a console video game publisher. Now I consider myself a programmer. I get more satisfaction in problem solving than I do in drawing pretty pictures.

  9. #29
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    I like to draw and have some scribbling skills, and my background includes classes in Art, Illustration, Graphic Design and Animation. (That's a college course each.) And I have a diploma in C Programming. It's like Flash was made for me.

  10. #30
    Pumpkin Carving 2008 ImprisonedPride's Avatar
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    Achieved an Associates degree in Applied Science (Computer Programming) this past June. Currently in my third year and transferring to a major university this spring to wrap up a Bachelors in Game Design and Simulation. It's basically a split degree that would either lock me into a cubicle banging out a career with a keyboard, or doing simulation is any of the relevant areas (medical, military, etc).
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  11. #31
    President PhobiK's Avatar
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    Didn't get any programming or designing education. Actually I was very bad at math and physics at school, but finally the trigonometry is paying back At my early years at flash I learnt almost everything in tutorials, here at flashkit btw
    This is MC. His _parents sent him to stop() by the super market to buy some _root beer if he wanted to gotoAndPlay() with his friends at the park later.

    This is my Blog!... The gaming Process
    Please check out my site: Giddel Creations

  12. #32
    When in doubt ask Eager Beaver's Avatar
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    I have written several times about myself in these forums.
    I am 69 years old. I graduated in electrical Engineering in 1959, and did my M.Tech in 1960. I worked in an Electrical Machines manufacturing company, as a senor engineering professional, from which I retired in 1997.
    I started with Fortran IV programming on a ICL 1900 main frame computer in 1974, mostly connected with the Electrical machine design. From the past 10 years I am spending my retired life developing flash animations, and games, mostly as a hobby.
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  13. #33
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    @Eager Beaver: you are indeed a special one Are there some key-skills you learned in your past that you can apply on Flash or ACtionscript?

  14. #34
    When in doubt ask Eager Beaver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by renderhjs
    @Eager Beaver: you are indeed a special one Are there some key-skills you learned in your past that you can apply on Flash or ACtionscript?
    Thanks! Yes!
    I try to answer to the best of my ability.
    I always wanted to visualize Electrical Resonance curves, Spring mass oscillations, Parabolic motion of projectiles, Roller motion on inclined planes, and so on. I was able to develop Flash animations on these subjects and publish them in Flashkit open source movies.
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  15. #35
    Game Player - Developer scheletro's Avatar
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    Im a industrial designer

    I learn flash just clicking


    "I love to make them as I love to play them"

  16. #36
    When you know are. Son of Bryce's Avatar
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    There's some great stories here! It seems we're all just addicted to Flash! Flash Addicts Anonymous, haha.

    I started Flash in High School, about 10 years ago. I had recently got my first computer and a friend gave me a CD with Flash 3 on it. I had no idea what Flash was, although I recognized Macromedia (a lot of CD software had "Made with Macromedia" on them).

    Shortly after I found the Parappa the Rapper website which was all tricked out in Flash -- animation, sound, interactivity and it loaded fast! (the most important part with 56k) Holy crap, this is what Flash is?? The Flash 3 help file had a great 'getting started' tutorial so I taught myself in a few days. I continued to learn by finding any Flash tutorial site I could.

    I experimented in my spare time in High School, mostly entertaining myself. Animations and websites. I had an interest in Flash games but I never thought I could figure it out, I just liked to draw. Finally, I finished High School and Alien Hominid came out. I never thought a Flash game could feel like a console game. I figured I put it off long enough and dived head first into Actionscript.

    I went to college for animation with the intention of getting into games. I worked on Flash games for fun while in college, it became an obsession. Eventually I got noticed for my games and I was allowed to do a game for my final project at school. That led to me getting some Actionscript jobs and that's been my life since then!

    I still want to focus on doing games so that is the current -- possibly neverending -- challenge.

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