Ask HN: Is it worth it to write programming tutorials for beginners?

2 points by Im_a_throw_away 10 years ago | 2 comments

Hi HN!

I'm a developer that currently have a lot of free time. One idea that I've had for a long time is to write a series of tutorials on how to code for complete beginners. The goal of the course would be to be REALLY accessible.

But I'm now wondering: is this really worth it? Will people be interested in this project? It seems like "programming tutorials" is a crowded market...

So I'm interested in your input. Thanks!

stepvhen 10 years ago |

If you have gone through many tutorials and feel there is still something missing, then definitely. If you feel you could present the program in a new more effective way, sure.

Things to keep in mind: (a) People are only beginners for a comparatively short time. (b) Language choice is very important. (c) Beginners will not know how to set up their development environment, and this can cause a lot of friction for any language.

In the end though, making something useful for other people is not a bad thing. If you are confident that you can bring something important to the programming education scene, go for it.

davelnewton 10 years ago |

Depends on what criteria you're using to evaluate "worth".