about beginner perl site and developing skill

about beginner perl site and developing skill

[Harry Putnam]

Sorry that this is something of a ramble.

I've been using perl for several yrs, only home scripting on local lan
and whatever random notions of a program I happen to want.

No other programming skills except a little shell scripting.

I've been at least part way thru several of the perl books, and read
several tutorials... and even practiced some of the techniques.

It usually works like this:  I dig around for the techniques I need
for whatever current project I'm working on... often ending up here.

However, I've come to the conclusion, with that kind of background and
current usage, I will never really become skilled or even proficient
with perl.

Then I look at what things I have become skilled and proficient with,
and they are inevitably things I've done for a job.  In my case, I was
a construction boilermaker and over the years became a skilled welder, a
high rigger and even a decent layout man.

In every case the skill was something I did 8hr a day for mnths and
yrs. before becoming truly skilled at it.

So, I'd like to find a job, that requires me to program in perl.

I realize there are many listings in places like:
 jobs.perl.org [com] 

But looking thru them one sees immediately that in most cases the
prospective employer is looking for a master programmer.  Or at least
a highly skilled programmer.

I have yet to run into one where the employer is after a wannabe
programmer who promises to do their best. 
 
So, I'm wondering where one might find a place to use whatever small
amount of programming they have and be expected to learn enough to be
a real asset over the course of a yr or two.  

A place where one would be expected to produce programs regularly.

This doesn't actually have to be a paying job... I'm retired and do
have an income.  But it would need to be a situation where I was
expected to produce something on a continuing basis.  (Of course the
prospect of pay, somewhere along the line would be a further benefit).

I'm thinking some kind of open source project that could make use of
someone with only light weight skills starting out.

And when I say light weight... I really mean it.  I didn't graduate
high school, and never went beyond that in formal education.  Anything
to do with programming is strictly self taught and therefore has
gaping holes in it.

On the other hand, I am capable of writing semi complex programs and
have written dozens, probably over 100 by now, of scripts for my own
use.

So, cutting to the chase, where does someone look for that kind of
opening? 

Re: about beginner perl site and developing skill

[Harry Putnam]

Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> writes:

> Sorry that this is something of a ramble.

Not to mention a totally inappropriate group to have posted a question
about perl to.

Sorry it was done inadvertently.