[geeks] learning script/prog [was: search and replace]

[N.Miller]

On Friday, September 5, 2003, at 12:19 PM, Kevin wrote:

> That's really the info i was looking for.  Just wanted
> to be pushed in the right direction and i'll go from
> there.  I've only been using *nix for a couple of years
> and am pretty good at some things but still a newbie on
> others.  Scripted text processing falls into the later
> category.

Along those lines...

A helpful (hell must've froze over last week) recruiter
actually gave me feedback as to why the hiring manager
passed on my resume.  This particular shop (google) is
highly customized--they want all their Sys Admins (as
opposed to Operations folks) to have a lot of experience
with writing their own tools for SA duty rather than using
third party (e.g. Veritas Netbackup) tools.

I don't suppose this is unusual in bigger portal and e-
commerce shops.

So, my question is--what recommendations to folks have for
getting more scripting and programming experience under my
belt?  I've never been formally trained, and admit that I
don't have a real aptitude for it (though I masqueraded
as a Clipper & dbaseIII maintenance programmer for a couple
of years).

I get syntax.  I get functional specification, generally.
But there's a glue that goes between those two that I seem
to be have no clues about.  I know I have a similar problem
with writing, and I think the two are related, but that's
speculation on my part.

Caveat: low on cash, so classes are right out. (Though I always
make A's in programming classes, so that says something right
there.)  I've been considering working my way through _How to
Design Programs_, since it's available on-line, followed by
_Simply Scheme_.

Thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

Obviously, I'm still vacillating about the career change.
I guess I am feeling the need to hedge.

=Nadine=