How to become more motivated to learn Python

[Cai Gengyang]

Cool, I have finally summoned up enough activation energy to start on Unit 3, now going through the topic on Conditionals and Control Flows (stuff like this)

>>> boolthree = 200 == (50 * 5)
>>> boolthree
False

Guess it would be really cool to work on AI and games. ( I have been addicted to computer games for a long time lol --- To be able to design a blockbuster like Starcraft 2, Diablo 3 or Final Fantasy 7 would be an incredible feat !) 

Didn't know that chess programming goes back 50+ years --- I always thought that computer programs were a recent invention. As it turns out , Ada Lovelace wrote the world's first computer program in 1842 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/02/in-1842-ada-lovelace-wrote-the-worlds-first-computer-program/) if this piece is true 




On Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 10:13:13 AM UTC+8, Christopher Reimer wrote:
> On 5/3/2016 4:20 AM, Cai Gengyang wrote:
> > So I have completed up to CodeAcademy's Python Unit 2 , now moving on to Unit3 : Conditionals and Control Flow.
> >
> > But I feel my motivation wavering , at times I get stuck and frustrated when trying to learn a new programming language ?
> >
> > This might not be a technical question per say, but it is a Python programming related one. How do you motivate a person (either yourself or your child) to become more interested in programming and stick with it ? Is determination in learning (especially in a tough field like software) partly genetic ?
> >
> > Related , This is a very well written essay on determination by Paul Graham ----------------------------------------http://www.paulgraham.com/determination.html
> >
> > Gengyang
> 
> I started out translating old BASIC games into Python. These are the 
> same BASIC games that I tried to program into my Commodore 64 without 
> much success when I was much younger. Many of these BASIC games are a 
> good introduction to classical programming problems like rolling dice 
> and playing cards.
> 
> http://www.atariarchives.org/basicgames/
> 
> When I realized that I wasn't learning enough about the Python language 
> from translating BASIC games, I started coding a chess engine. If you 
> ever look at the academic literature for chess programming from the last 
> 50+ years, you can spend a lifetime solving the programming challenges 
> from implementing the game of kings.
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Chris R.