SPDCHK said:
As a 39 year old hobbyist, (without any formal training in any programming language) I also tend to find it difficult to "learn" new things, especially when they seem to become more and more technologically advanced. Where are the days that you could build a car alarm with two 555's and have the same functionality as a :mu:Controller today?
Now, if you don't have a PC, and other programming equipment etc. you'd be better off watching Discovery channel's "How it's made" and silently wish you knew more
hi,
I think its a case of constantly keeping upto date outside your normal working environment.
Many facts/figures and technical knowledge of a particular piece of equipment you have gained, when working within a company
will quickly go out of date, its application specific.
I find the electronics/physics/mechanics knowledge I gained at college
stills holds true and useful today as it did then, basics/fundamentals rarely change.
Its important that you have a good basic knowledge of electronic principles and also the ability to know where to find the information you require and have the background knowledge to decypher it in order to solve the problem,
you cannot be a specialist in all fields of electronics.
With regard to programming, like many I taught myself using the Z80 series of CPU's, as new devices PLA's/PIC's became available
it was a easy transition to programming these devices.
I think most of us started out as electronic hobbyists, caught the bug, and wanting a deeper understanding of the technology.
IMO 'learning' is a subject that can be 'learnt'.
If you consider the act of learning, there are many techniques that can improve how successful you are in retaining and recalling.
If you find it diffcult to learn, perhaps you are going about learning in the wrong way, its probably not the subject matter.
I'm in my 75th year and I still make an effort to keep my electronics knowledge upto date.
There is an old saying, 'use it or loose it'.
Regards