Hello World from Pythony
Who Am I ?
Some of you who will read this article already know me. Perhaps you have already heard about one of my projects, or read one of my articles ? But for all those who don't know who I am, I'm going to introduce myself.
My name is Anthony Khelil, I am almost 20 years old, and I am passionate about computers. This passion is the very purpose of this blog. It all started when I discovered the enchanted world of video games during my early childhood. I was immediately won over by the colorful graphics, and the freedom it gave me in my quiet little life. Whether it was Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, or Pokémon, this era had a profound impact on me, and changed the course of my life forever !
When I was about 10 years old, I became interested in how computers work. I must say that I have always been a very curious person, and I couldn't play a video game for more than a few minutes without wondering what magic allowed all these pixels to appear on the screen. I then made my debut in the world of programming, and, as a fan of video games, I began to learn the C language. This choice may surprise many developers, as this complex language is not necessarily suitable for a beginner who is eager to learn. But at the time, I wanted to create my own video game, and I didn't realize all the obstacles it would entail…
Fortunately for me, I quickly managed to tame my first programming lines. Over time, I have also learned other more traditional languages, such as C++ or Python, as well as web languages, such as JavaScript or PHP. At first, I just wanted to add new possibilities to my projects, like an online mode. But over time, the desire to learn more and more took over, and pushed me to discover completely different fields, especially Arduino development.
From Passionate Player to Independent Developer
When you're young, you tend to be interested in many things out of simple curiosity, without wanting more… But in my case, it was quite different with computers… It wasn't just a hobby to occupy my rainy Sundays, but a real passion. I remember a remark from a friend in high school, who often said that "We play video games, while Anthony makes them !". And from hearing speeches like this, I realized that this is what I wanted to do with my life.
When asked what I wanted to do later, I always answered with a big smile "I want to work in computing, and create incredible video games", where many children would simply say they wanted to become a doctor or a baker, without really knowing what it was like. Video games were the starting point of my career, so it was natural for me to want to work on them. But as I grew up, my worldview began to change. Today, I am still firmly attached to it, but I am opening up more and more to other fields, especially everything related to the web.
In September 2018, I launched my first real website, as the successor to my many video game projects. This was a completely new field for me, and it made me realize that the world of the web is just as intriguing and exciting, although very different from that of video games. A video game requires a very large amount of work, contained in a single project. On the other hand, the web world requires many more infinitely simpler actions, such as writing a blog article, or sharing content on social networks. I also had to train in many areas that were previously unknown to me, including marketing. Indeed, maintaining a website is an everyday effort, where my previous projects had the objective of beautifying my CV, without necessarily having to be downloaded millions of times a day…
From Dream to Reality
At almost 20 years of age, and after many projects in various completed areas, I am beginning to have a more open vision of what I really want to do. I knew I couldn't dedicate my life to a project, and wait for it to become known. It was at that moment that I started thinking about the idea of a blog that would allow me to communicate effectively with you, while promoting what I am passionate about. For that, I created this site around the following points :
First, the Portfolio page. This allows me to present my latest projects, briefly explaining how they came about, and what happened during their development. This section is similar to a business card, because it allows me to prove my passion and skills since the beginning of my adventure in computing.
Then, the Blog section. This one should not surprise you, because it is similar to what I was able to do in the past, especially on my last project. However, I have made a few resolutions, which I have detailed with you in the past, such as maintaining as regular a rhythm as possible, ideally one article per week. I will also try to make shorter articles, addressing topics directly related to computing.
Finally, the Learn section is the big new feature. For several years now, many people have come to see me, whether in real life or on social networks, asking me to teach them how to program. I had the opportunity to teach some of you, but it was very difficult for me, because I had to start from the beginning with each new request. So I decided to launch a video-on-demand training system.
Important clarification : These courses will be charged, unlike what I have always done so far. Why ? Because, as explained above, I am at a point in my life where I would like to be able to live off my passion, and that I must therefore go through the "Payment" box at some point. I am perfectly aware that some of you are following me because I have always put my projects and articles online for free, and that is why these courses will be completely independent. I want people who don't see them to be able to continue to follow me. And conversely, only people who really want to get into computing, and who are willing to invest a few euros in it, will have access to my videos. This part is still being prepared, so I can't tell you more about it at this time. But in any case, the first courses should be available within a few months.
At your Service
I would like to end this article by taking the time to thank all the people who follow me and take the time to read this article. Whether you stumbled upon it by chance or knew me from the very beginning, it is thanks to you that I am here today. Maybe you've noticed, but this blog has a very particular social dimension. For example, each article can be shared on social networks, by clicking on the corresponding button at the bottom of the article. Why is that the case ? Because I realized how important sharing is, (Whether on social networks or by word of mouth) and I would like to highlight it to help me make myself known, by allowing you to share an article that you would have liked with your friends and family.
I also noticed that many of you wanted to contact me but didn't dare. That's why I now give you more ways to do it, whether it's in commentary on an article, through social networks, or more directly by email. I really invite you to share with me any criticisms, remarks or suggestions. Whether it is an article idea or a question that bothers you, contact me. I will answer you with great pleasure !
I have also received proposals for professional projects. If you have an idea that you would like to implement, I invite you to use one of these contact methods to let me know. I will be happy to help you, whether it is on the technical side, especially development, or more simply by advising you on the direction to take to complete your project. I have had the opportunity to learn a lot during my many years of experience, and I look forward to sharing them with you.
I thank you again for your support over the years, and I look forward to seeing you again for new adventures, projects, articles, courses, or simply through a few messages from you.
Written by Pythony on the 12/01/2019.