I’ve always wanted to understand what is actually meant by this. I have wanted to get into programming for years, did some basic python and c, but could never really progress. Not necessarily a linux question but I know since most distros come with libraries already, it’s popular to use for programming.

I have trouble understanding what people are actually programming if it isn’t their job. Like, you go to your computer and start working on…what? I don’t know enough to make an entire program or debug a game, so im just unsure what people do especially when starting out.

Also I don’t really want to learn it for a job. I just want to learn it to know it. But im not sure how to apply it to anything realistic.

  • dfyx@lemmy.helios42.deEnglish
    8·
    21 hours ago

    Instead of a long-winded post, here’s a quick list of stuff that I’ve worked on in my free time over the last few months:

    • Some scripts to automatically set some metadata on my photo library
    • A tool that grabs a video stream from an HDMI input (from the OS’s point of view that looks just like any webcam), finds text in it and overlays a translation. I use that to play Japanese visual novels on my Switch
    • A simple Bubble Shooter game because my gf was frustrated with some bugs in the one she had found online
    • A simple 2D game engine and editor inspired by RPG Maker XP
    • Updates to the registration website for a community event that I host twice a year
    • Updates to a discord bot that automates some dice rolls for my online TTRPG sessions
    • A browser extension that helps me scrape some data from a specific website
    • Helped a friend port an old website from PHP5 to PHP8

    Overall, it’s mostly stuff that is useful for my hobbies for which I can’t find an existing solution that fits my use case.

    • dfyx@lemmy.helios42.deEnglish
      3·
      21 hours ago

      To add some more, here’s a list of stuff that I would love to do at some point but haven’t found the time yet:

      • A tool that directly translates PCB designs into a format that my resin 3D printer can read so I can abuse its display as a UV etching machine
      • An alternative to GPlates that’s a bit easier to use for fantasy worldbuilding. GPlates is great but it’s mostly meant for serious scientific work so its UI is a bit complicated.
      • A minimalistic blogging platform that interfaces with ActivityPub
      • Many, many games.