My Before, During and After LiveCode Journey: From Zero to Not-Yet-Hero

Before LiveCode
I was always interested in creating “things” for the World Wide Web, even though I never sat in a single formal class on how it is done. This ambition of mine was really daunting, ambitious and downright stupid to say the least. I always asked the question “How did they do it? Can I also do this?”

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Beginning with websites, I started to teach myself basic raw HTML coding. I even had in the mid 90’s a tourism promoting website, hosted on servers in the USA, for the Region/Province I lived in. Then smart phones hit our lives with a huge bang! I downloaded and played around with various mobile apps and again the question “How do they do these things?” popped into my thoughts. I started to follow my tried and tested HTML method of learning which in short was……..read, watch Youtube videos, analyse code, try things on my computer/laptop………but soon I realised there was a “monster” by the name of Javascript standing between me and possible mobile app development.

 I jumped into various platforms (the ones that let you drag and drop things into your app and by some magic stroke your app is there). I tried a few, had small successes here and there but I still did not understand how I made it happen. This understanding part was very important for me. I also joined coding groups in town, but I could not escape the “Monster”. The “friendly” services and assistance (as per website sales propaganda) invited me to email and assistance will be rendered to me chop-chop. I realised very soon that the internet route returning assistance to me via a return email is blocked and in many cases remained blocked for a considerable time. My hopes were (again) dashed in finding answers to and knowing and understanding “How they do it. How do they develop these app-things for smart phones?” This quest for knowledge (specifically for app design) has been coming on a long, long time……probably 4-5 years. But by nature I am not a quitter, I don’t give up until proven beyond any doubt that “Steve, you are defeated. Accept it and move on with your life.” 

Then one evening around October 2013 I stumbled upon another promising solution to my quest. This time it was called LiveCode. I thought for a while before I downloaded the free Community version, but I never let my hopes and aspirations go through the Roof of Optimism. I told myself “Steve, you were here before. Don’t get your hopes up. Somewhere in this dark tunnel of your ambition to code a mobile app (without the monster JavaScript) will be some unknown, unanticipated curve ball.”

During LiveCode
I started my LiveCode Community Edition journey on the usual path……read blogs, opinion pieces, tutorials, watched Youtube videos etc. On one video I even heard the CEO, Mr Kevin Miller of RunRev proclaim very boldly that “Our primary goal/purpose as a company is that everyone can code….” I thought to myself: “Mmm, a very bold, a very ambitious statement, but if he/RunRev lays that claim so confidently I must test his belief that EVERYONE can code.” I am after all part of “everyone” and I should be able to do it. By the beginning of December 2013 I decided to part with USD 500,00 and spoil myself with this LiveCode thing (Commercial Edition) as a Christmas gift. But in my neck of the woods USD 500.00 is a little fortune. So discussions and negotiations with the family started on and off. I got mostly the NO answer. At one stage I thought, I will never win this. One question put to me that kept my head very busy and which I must answer convincingly to the family was “Why don’t you use the Community version, learn it, get comfortable with it, ensure that there will be no surprises down the road.” Eventually the resistance on the part of the family was melted by the Christmas spirit…….some members even decided to contribute towards the USD 500.00. To my pleasant shock and surprise, joy and my strong belief in the Christmas spirit I saw in digital white and black that “for a limited time only” my Christmas gift was only USD 249.00! I jumped into action.

Early January 2014 I got in touch with RunRev via a very helpful, true customer service oriented angel called Heather Laine. I started the process of foreign currency purchases via my bank, ran into a few hiccups and regulations. Heather guided a lot and, one day, in the third week of January I returned home from the bank a very happy, proud and excited potential owner/subscriber of the LiveCode-thing that may hopefully be the realisation to my desire, namely to produce an app by myself, without the Javacode-Monster blocking my way. I was ready to test Kevin Miller’s belief and theory that “Everyone can code.”

Soon, once a week, on Wednesdays I found myself in “class” under a very pleasant andextremely helpful Neil Roger. My gosh, I haven’t been in class for more than a quarter of a century! Thanks to our country’s excellent communications capabilities I was able to participate when I had to travel outside town end even outside the country. I once attended a class from Kenya. I was hooked, optimistic and firmly believing that “Everyone can code.” Then my sinister side kicked in and I told myself (in no uncertain terms) that soon and very soon you will hit nasty surprises and curve balls, because this customer experience is truly out of this world and you will surely sooncome back into this world with a spectacular bang. I decided to enjoy the ride, get as much knowledge about LiveCode as possible and anticipate the spectacular “down to earth” service crash. I am still waiting……..and waiting…

I was so excited and truly, in a very short space of time, on my way to develop mobile apps. I wanted to meet these people and I nearly did. I had a planned journey to London, but, in short it was cancelled at the very last moment. I even had appointments set up to visit a school where LiveCode is taught to high school kids. I promised myself that I will fulfil the wish to visit RunRev in Edinburgh, Scotland. I will do it….

My LiveCode first baby steps were amazing. In a very short space of time I was truly confident that I, like everyone else, can code. I remained glued to my screen reviewing Elanor Buchanan’s video lessons. I deciphered the code, understanding as a non-coder how it works, tested a few ideas and after a week or two I excitingly realised: Wow, I can truly code. I can give birth to app ideas on my smart phone with the help of midwife LiveCode. I told and showed the Coding Group what I had achieved in a very short space of time. The Greek speakers of the Group (javascript as a language is very Greek to me) could not believe their eyes and ears. We now have a separate Non-Java coding group going within the bigger Coding Group.

As from next year the Coding Group wants to start with a bunch of school kids (especially girls) to get them interested in coding as a hobby. Hopefully the hobby will grow into a desire to formally study software engineering. We are confident that our small steps will benefit the community and country and also change lives. In the meantime we popularise the idea of apps to solve everyday community challenges.

I have, in the meantime, subscribed to LiveCode until January 2016. I have yet to deploy an app in the store, but that is not a priority for now. The priority is to conquer the English-like language, increase my (and other’s) self confidence and hopefully add value to the future of some very disadvantaged kids in my neck of the woods. I take small steps every day and make giant leaps on the big idea of facilitating coding for everyone.

I am still amazed that, after years of producing nothing in terms of mobile apps, I now have sample apps (a local radio, citizen ID number verification, mySQL backend apps) on my smart phone. As a person I feel a real sense of achievement. My earlier nightmares of mobile app development have turned into very real and nice dreams…..thanks to LiveCode.

My LiveCode journey is not over. I want to achieve all my short term goals and long term aspirations, share with others what I have learned in the last few months and just enjoy the ride. I am slowly but surely getting there and, by the way, I am also slowly but surely getting to the age of 60 which is just a number between your birth and where you are today.

After LiveCode
The chapter on “After LiveCode” cannot be written yet as I am still in the “during” phase. It is a very exciting phase that I don’t want to leave for now. I must still learn and read a lot.

Happy LiveCoding………..

Steve Bezuidenhout
Windhoek (Namibia)
Africa