Paths to Knowledge

[Mr. Fingers]

Well I will no longer be considered an out of state resident and can afford to go to community college at last (dont laugh its what I can afford).

I need some direction, some advice on which path I should take. I love technology, when I was a toddler I used to dismantle my new electronic toys so I could smell the electronic components (sick yes but theres nothing like the smell of putting power to new electronics), I would like to have a complete understanding of hardware (I want to know why there are capicators, what makes a chipset, the production process, the component interaction), I would also like to write programs like all this stuff about Hollywood trying to hack into people systems really raises the hair on my neck so I wouldnt mind being part of team that produces software to counter it, I like games I would like to be a part of a games development process (or develop one), I would like to create cg scenes on my own, backgrounds etc., I would like to design some free games for linux and work with linux, I really like hands on learning getting to physically manipulate objects etc. Also I would like to make decent yearly earnings doesnt have to be alot anywhere from 20-40k a year I would be happy with. I dont like people.

Anyway I have no idea where to start. community college counsellors are horrible and I would wind up as a artistic carpenter for the theatre who designed background scenes for their programs at midnight.

Anyway I have no idea where to start. community college counsellors are horrible and I would wind up as a artistic carpenter for the theatre who designed background scenes for their programs at midnight.

Hope Knothead doesn't come prowling here!!

I think the first thing you have to decide for yourself is whether its software or hardware that interests you the most. Seems to me you're the hands-on type.

I don't know much about the lastest trends, but you'd like to see what will be the emerging technologies now and get in there. The internet would be the single most important "application" for this decade atleast so I'd look into what hardware is used- you could research companies like Cisco Systems for a start and see where it leads you.

You don't want to spend learning something that will be a dead end.

Bottom line: do what you really like irrespective of opportunities. Don't get into something that will like a torture for you the rest of your life.

Good Luck.