That's bullshit though. The myth of the 14 year old genius is just that, a myth, and though it doesn't mean they don't exist most of the people I know who work in the industry and got there without school didn't learn real programming before age 18/19. Of course they were mostly geeks who had spent considerable time on the computer, but chances are OP is also in that case.
Don't let it get you down. You can still make it. Of course, that doesn't mean it's an easy road -- because it really isn't, and you're going to have to be passionate about it, but it's not too late.
Also, you're never going to finish that list of books. I'd say the best way to start is to pick one or two, study as you pick up the language, and then start a real project. Practice is the best way to learn.

This post was edited by feored on May 12 2012 08:40am

I know it's bullshit too. I'm in no major rush. I don't need to spend 10s of thousands of dollars to get what I want speed up

it's not a matter of speeding it up, it's a matter of actually learning everything
if you don't go to school you'll end up learning enough to get a job and leave it at that, with significant gaps in your education that you won't even be aware of
and you'll be stuck at low level dead end jobs because you're stuck in a rut of grunt programming work
pm me in 5 years with your situation and I bet I'll be the one having a laugh

not a myth. I know quite a few people who started young. It's more likely today as well because of how young people are starting to use technology. but yes, the majority probably do start at 18/19. and as J_B said, you probably will have significant gaps in your education without college.

Instead of just giving discouraging criticism it would be more productive for you to actually explain what exactly i'd be missing from the college experience

I mean people receive honorary doctorates without going through legitimate doctorate programs in all kinds of fields. Philosophy, sciences, history, etc

What's such a big difference with programming?

The misconception about college is that it teaches (or should teach) you stuff that you need to know to succeed in your career. The reality is that it teaches you how to learn and how to educate yourself on all the things that college doesn't get around to teaching you.

So no, you're not saving money by not going to college to learn things "you can learn by yourself." This is why the comment about you not looking for the answers in the right places is so relevant and core to this discussion - how do you expect to learn things on your own when you don't know how to learn?

edit: To answer your above question more directly, programming isn't a knowledge-based activity/career -- it's skill-based. It's not about knowing a language or knowing a bunch of design patterns as it is about knowing how to solve problems. A (good) well-rounded, CS-focused college education teaches you how to problem solve, rather than "here are the things you need to know."

I would contend that this applies to all other fields - even the ones you mentioned. It really doesn't matter if you get a real degree or an honorary one - what ultimately matters is whether you're able to acquire the skill of learning how to learn. Because if you don't, you're at a severe disadvantage because it means that you're only as good as what you already know -- and what you already know can become irrelevant very, very quickly.

This post was edited by irimi on May 12 2012 03:05pm

Great post and I agree with all of it -- except that I don't think this thread is necessarily proof that he doesn't know ``how to learn''.
I don't mean to say that he does, just that we don't know enough about him to judge.

For lack of better words you sound like a hater. I don't have to do things your way to succeed, to act like I do is arrogant and egotistical.

What makes you think I'm not capable of adapting and being proactive?

Just because I asked for peoples input doesn't mean I need it.

What, did you think if noone responded on here that I'd just stop programming? That I'd just give up?

Maybe you thought if you discouraged me the same thing would happen.

Well I have bad news for you, no matter what you say I know that I don't need to do things a certain why to succeed.

Asking people for input was solely because i'm NOT experienced.

Looking to peoples advice who DO have experience is something people who "know how to learn" do.

This post was edited by Invizard on May 12 2012 05:00pm

your attitude sucks, you'll never make it in the real world

His answer was the most honest and most relevant to your question. You're asking what you're missing out on by not attending college, and he has told you exactly that.

You do not go to college to learn how to program; all that jazz is done within the first half year. You learn to absorb ideas, to intuitively obtain solutions to problems and much more than just to write a compiling piece of code. By studying on your own, you'd at worst case teach yourself wrong things, adopt bad habits and completely miss entire subjects, which all affect your ending code massively.