[wp-hackers] Developer Portal

[Jacob Santos]

To be a master I expect would take a long time and is a really long 
list. What you are looking at isn't just WordPress, but a general set of 
skills related to computer systems management, server management, 
protocol, and probably most important of all is experience.

I would say the number one asset to becoming a master is the willingness 
to learn, experiment, fail, and spend the time needed to succeed. I 
didn't know very much about Subversion when I started working with it 
other than the simple command svn checkout 
http://core.svn.wordpress.org/tags/2.3.1, but after you understand that 
concept the other Subversion commands become a little bit clearer. Then 
maintaining a Subversion repository for over 2 years with a range of 
mod_dav_svn, svnserve, authentication methods, branching, etc.

What I'm trying to say, is that if you wish to be a master of WordPress, 
you need to dive into other computer related subjects. I'm not saying 
you need to be able to build from the ground up a computer, it may clear 
a few things up, but generally doesn't help with working with WordPress. 
I suppose intelligence (or more particular IQ) is also a factor. I'm 
lucky I started at 11, because with my average IQ and the amount of time 
I have currently, I would never be able to match Ryan McCue and probably 
would be doing something entirely different. I believe those who fail 
with my range of IQ work in politics or at factories. Over time certain 
similarities form between concepts and that helps. Generally, the higher 
the IQ, the faster one would be able to learn a given concept or task [1].

I will also say that if you wish to be a master in WordPress or even a 
WordPress developer, then I think you are doing it wrong. Being the 
master of one makes you a specialist and while that is fine in and of 
itself, it is extremely limiting. A master of computer languages, server 
management, and computers can probably overtake you without any 
knowledge of WordPress and by applying what they already know, whereas 
it would be extremely difficult to branch off to other web applications 
after WordPress dies. Of course, COBOL is still in demand after it died 
itself, so well, there might be hope.

Jacob Santos

[1] As an aside, I both hate geniuses and have tremendous respect for 
them. I hate them because it takes me 2 or 3 times longer to learn 
something and sometimes 10 times as long, but I also respect them, 
because they are capable of creating something new that I can eventually 
reproduce in my work and designing something interestingly than I'm 
capable of.

Rhonda Johnson wrote:
>> What are the skills this potential future WordPress developer can begin to
>>     
>>> develop?  (I’m not a 14-year-old high school student, I just believe that
>>> targeting the list of prerequisites towards a computer
>>> savvy 14-year-old budding future WordPress developer is more likely to
>>> inspiring a complete list of prerequisite skills than asking you to
>>>       
>> target
>>     
>>> the list to people who are already skilled developers.)
>>>
>>>       
>> I, on the other hand, am 16, and I've been working with WordPress since
>> I was 14. I had fairly good knowledge of PHP at that point, and I
>> basically learnt by diving into existing plugins, themes, and into the
>> core itself. I found it wasn't too hard.
>>
>>     
>
> OMG, I guess my target audience example really backfired on me.  I should
> have realized that there would be a 16 year old hacker here who cut his baby
> teeth on PHP.
> But you are right, Ryan, it's not that hard.  That is more or less my point.
>  I don't really need, want or expect the WP community to hold my hand and
> teach me everything I need to know but a nice list of tasks to master to be
> able to accomplish certain goals, now that's what I really need.
>
> You know what's ironic, Ryan?  I've been using computers since long before
> you were born.  One of my very first real jobs was setting up a data base
> for a crap load of data that had been collected over a very long period of
> time about a wide variety of subjects.  My training consisted of being
> handed a list of commands, several typed pages of commands.  Maybe one line
> of text explaining what each command meant.  This was long before Windows
> and it was pre relational db when I first started.  I was able to figure it
> out much faster and easier than I am getting WordPress.  But I will
> get WordPress.  I am getting WordPress.
>
> My goal is not necessarily to become a developer, I want to be a competent
> publisher.  I am attracted to WordPress because it is a Data Management
> System.  I know y'all call it a CMS but from my POV it's a DMS.  My goal is
> to master WordPress to the point where I can competently publish and manage
> data on the internet.  Furthermore I want to be able to ask intelligent
> questions and I want to have enough background information to understand the
> answers.  I just need sort of a map to follow to learn all the different
> parts and pieces of information I need to know to accomplish my goals.
>
> Nice meeting you Ryan.
>
>   
>> --
>> Ryan McCue
>> <http://ryanmccue.info/>
>>
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