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Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsAfter beeing here few months or years, how did your life change?
How did your life change learning this stuff here?
12 Answers
Mustafa Dilaver
12,671 PointsIMO, TTH is the best place to learn something new about most of the topics.
I've learnt lots of unique informations here but more importantly I've learnt how to learn something new.
There are tons of resources that you can learn coding but TTH teaches you how to use documentation, how to write clean code and how to put together lots of pieces into a project. They maintain their style in every topic.
I'm a third grade computer engineering student at the university right now. I am always one step ahed of my classmates about most of the topics. That's because the folks at the TTH make you practice in a great way.

Josh Keenan
20,315 PointsLater today I will be starting my new job as a web developer, and I'm still in school (not university/college) but actual school. No where has been willing to give me a job because of my age but I did it! Thanks treehouse, couldn't have done it without you guys!

Josh Keenan
20,315 PointsNew stuff happened to me thanks to treehouse! My job offer instead of being a 3 month contract has the potential to be extended, if I can build a simple Register, Login and profile application (web based) I get a proper job! As well as that a startup has contacted me and asked if I want to be a part of it!

Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,254 PointsTreehouse hasn't helped me find my dream job but that's okay. I'm in my dream job right now.
I'm self employed and run my business on my own. I don't earn a regular steady income at the moment but my business is growing slowly but surely and this is the change that Treehouse is helping to bring. Treehouse has taught me more than College and Uni ever did and that#s as huge to me as any tangible benefit :)

Andreas cormack
Python Web Development Techdegree Graduate 33,011 PointsTreehouse has taught me alot. I dont have my dream job yet because frankly i haven't been looking. My data programming job is convenient and suits me at the moment. I do plan to go into more of a programming role this year but we shall see. Again i agree with alot of whats already been said, i have learnt here more here than any uni or course ever taught me.

Marc Drubbel
4,615 PointsIm still in high school (dropped out now im back into it). In the netherlands we have the oppurtunity to do highschool part-time from a certain age. Next to my school Im doing an internship at a developer company and Im getting a contract to work part-time in a few weeks. I'm getting trained and mentored by proffesionals who have lots of years of experience. So actually thanks to treehouse I'm on the right track and have a brighter future :)

james white
78,399 PointsHaving over 73K points on my Teamtreehouse profile -- but it has done nothing
to make me more "job worthy" (or desirous by employers).
https://teamtreehouse.com/jameswhite7
I recently receive notification that Treehouse's Career Program was ending in Dec 2015.
Not that Nancy King and her assistant Matt were ever able to provide job placement assistance,
but it does mean that CodeOregon's relationship with Treehouse is "evolving".
Into what I don't know..?
I heard that:
"Treehouse is no longer offering a subscription model for public libraries and our service will be discontinued on February 1st."
..per this thread:
https://teamtreehouse.com/community/very-upset-with-treehouse
It's obvious there "business model" is being adjusted.
Will they be able to "pivot":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_startup#Pivot
..who knows...
Personally I see three challenges ahead for treehouse going forward into the future:
1.) Accreditation - they are not accredited with any board that accredits public universities in the United States (AFAIK).
This means that the course credits (i.e. points) will not transfer to a
university of college offering a 4 year degree.
2.) MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) increase their online content every day.
How do you compete with free?
3.) The biggest problem - they haven't reached out to the business community
in a significant way to explain to them the value of TeamTreehouse learning
and what students, with such learning, bring to a job.
I show my profile to employers and they go "what's that".
It's just some numbers and a pie chart with a long list
of cutesy over-sized icon graphics below it.
It's not the same as having a four year degree.
I'm glad some people in this thread got jobs, but was it because of something
that happened in connection with Treehouse, or was it
something personal to them - a resume with the right job experience.
or a nice Github or a nice portfolio online --you just don't know.
There is no causality certainty (not a single study statistic) that says:
"If you get this many points/badges on Treehouse, then your chances of
getting a job increase by this many percent".
It's all anecdotal --which isn't necessarily statistically significant.

Josh Keenan
20,315 PointsI agree completely, being a student (not a uni student a school student) I get written off for jobs and treehouse points and badges haven't counted for anything, it's what I do with the skills I have learned getting the points and badges that have counted! And learning how to teach myself some stuff and not having to be taught everything, I go and taught myself some Js stuff and some stuff for Python. The points and badges gave me the confidence to do things myself and the knowledge to do them.

Marc Drubbel
4,615 Pointsjames white It's not about how many points you have. It's about using the experience you gain with these courses and what you do with it. Try to create your own stuff. Your own website or app or a game. You can use this to show employers what you can. Find an Internship or whatsoever. You're showing employers your badges etc. of something they don't have any idea of what it is. But if you show them your creations instead... That's what they are looking for. Not points and badges...
Hope this will help you in the future.
Cheers,
Marc

Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsI think none of you do understand their system :D Ill write when i come to home.

james white
78,399 PointsTo Marc,
You said: "It's not about how many points you have."
Then why even have points at all?
You said:
"It's about using the experience you gain with these courses and what you do with it. Try to create your own stuff."
I do make my own stuff --but it doesn't get me a job.
You said:
"Find an Internship or whatsoever."
Tried to find an internship (many times over the last 5 years) --didn't happen.
You said:
"You're showing employers your badges etc. of something they don't have any idea of what it is. But if you show them your creations instead... That's what they are looking for. Not points and badges.."
Again --then why does Treehouse have points and badges at all?
If they don't get one a job then they are useless (in my opinion).
I show employers all my projects --the reaction from them ranges from sheer boredom to "I really don't understand why you are showing me this technical stuff...let's just look at your resume".
I continue to make newer projects (not using anything I learned at Treehouse).
These have been more successful than any of my Treehouse derived projects at getting the attention of recruiters.
But still all I mostly get is contract work (with little or no medical benefits or security).
Overall nothing you have say has any meaning to me or my life.
So please don't mention stop mentioning me by name in your answers because
when you do Treehouse sends me a notification that I end up having to delete.
It's annoying.
Your comments address specifically to me are totally irrelevant to me
and my situation as well as being totally unwelcome.
You just don't understand and you never will.
My point in posting in this thread is that Treehouse never made any guarantee
that anything in your life is going to change
and many Treehouse students their experience taking Treehouse courses
has done nothing to change or improve their lives.
It is this no improvement/change group that is more likely not to a thread entitled:
"After being here few months or years, how did your life change?"
Since this thread was started by a Treehouse moderator I assume is purpose was to create a
love fest PR promotion thread for:
"Gee isn't Treehouse all sorts of wonderful for everyone.."
I disagree and even if I'm the only one to do so in this thread,
then at least this threat has one pragmatic realist.

Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsYou know, treehouse cleary explained why the points are used for.
For some people works, for some people dont' For those that work, thats great! For me, it doesn't work.
Point is a reward. We get points by answering, doing challenges and quizez and so on...
The system behind is is that a studen can feel dopamine or whatever.. so they did somehting.. if you get the ida of points now.
For example, i had reseted my points. I don't care about my points. Nothing at all. I reseted my points because i wanted to start or revise cleary again.
After i get comfy in it, id reset it again.
It's just a learning process.
These badges means nothing.
It only means that you teste your self and learned and heres the reward.
if we lived in a word where you get 10* the amout of point you had.. and the quizez and challenges were hard, imagine how much one point would be worth.. be instead is a virtual experience.
Ever played a mutliplayer game? I did. They had levels and so on.. people just play games for level so they can advance in thier equipment and stuff... Same here, but it's about leanring and the model is different.
Thats why they have points. Is more user friendly.
Most people don't know what is treehouse so this is totally useles. Showing some points or batges that means nothing. But yet, thats not treehouse goal. Unless they started new stuff.. whatever..
I use forum the most anyways. I preffer a real life help because then i lear a lot more and i get explanation and help on whatever i liek. So even ifi had completed all the courses like you, id still be here probably sitting on the forum.
Anyways, it seem you have completed all these in two years or a year.
Did you started programming here? or you came with some programming experience before?
If i knew java and i came at treehouse and did all the java section..
You have like billion points lol that tells me you did all, and in just a year or two. Did you learn all that you did? Im just curious. It seem a short time to know that much.

james white
78,399 PointsTo Konrad,
I got my CodeOregon subscription in the fall of 2014 and I think
I completed my first course in Oct of 2014.
In just a few months --by the end of January 2015
(maybe the first week of February) I had completed all
the courses that Treehouse offered up to that time.
So it was also during the February of 2015 that I broke into the top ten of the "All Time"
list on Treehouse Leaderboard for the first time
and have pretty much remained there ever since:
https://teamtreehouse.com/community/leaderboards
There are only a few people above me and I figure they all have "Pro" subscriptions
(that can take workshops for extra points) so I'll probably never
get above them in points to reach #1 on the "All Time" Leaderboard.
Right now the Leaderboard page reports:
You're ranked 4 out of 321501 students for total badges earned!
You're ranked 4 out of 355416 students for total points earned!
By the way I already knew more Ruby, PHP, Javascript, HTML and CSS than I have
encountered in any Treehouse course.
So Treehouse courses were basically just a refresher/review of what I mostly already knew
In saying this I know I'm probably not the "typical" Treehouse student (who probably
hasn't been programming for close to 5 decades).
Lastly, Konrad, you said:
"You know, treehouse cleary [i.e. "clearly'] explained why the points are used for."
I'm interested and curious:
Is this something that was explained to you verbally (by a Treehouse employee/staff member)
as part of your training to become a moderator
or is there actually a thread/post/notice somewhere on the Teamtreehouse.com site
that actually says the words:
"The official reason why Treehouse uses points is ...blah blah blah (in writing,
out in the open somewhere).
Please provide a link to the referenced quote if you have one..

Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsI don't think pro sub give you any points. I had pro.
But i can tell you that the top people apart from you are much longer.
And heres how they got thier points
Achievement Newbie Achieved Nov 7, 2011 Newbie Achievement Old School Achieved
See? They have completed courses that are now deleted and no one can do them. the only think you can do is answer forum..
Lol, here you have it! And the CEO itslef siad about this too if i remember well. its a time where i saw the specifict post. You follow treehouse i assume and stuff.. so though its pretty much clear about this.
Moderators are just normal students.
For example, when i started here i knew nothing about programming and so on. Now im doing WordPress themes, but still im a beginner and haven't done much , or dedicated my self a lot. Now im more dedicated to it.
At the end is what you know. If you did this as a refresher, then thats good for you. But if someone is new to this then.. thats different story.
I know HTML,CSS could go throw WP quizez challenges, some Obj-C and stuff.. and i just wound't do that, waste of time doing it just for points.

Marc Drubbel
4,615 Pointsjames white I am sorry that you feel offended by my reaction. Just don't quit and I wish you goodluck.

james white
78,399 PointsNot offended - just don't want to be bothered with people who are just too "perky" and
optimistic.
I wish you well, though, even if you are under the delusion that
everything is going to be that easy/simplistic in life.

Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points'easy/simplistic in life' you said. Well, thats why you have a book on your side and do videos as a refresher :D
I don't understand why you guys get so much heat here..
Everyone is learning and everyone is on different stages.

james white
78,399 PointsKonrad,
I have been weird all my life, so I'm used to 'heat' from just about everyone in my life.
"Why can't you be more normal?" is a refrain I've heard all my life.
It took me many decades to realize my brain was wired different from just about
everyone else in the human population (even the most technical people) and almost just
as long to accept me for who and what I am.
I relate most closely to autistic people.
They (like me) spend a lot of time trapped in their own minds
unable to communicate that experience to others properly.
Even if it never gets me a job I will program until the day I die
because my mind has to do something to keep from going like
a dynamo going out of control when it's freed from it's load or any kind of governor.
I'm just glad I was born in an age with computers because without them I
would have no way to relate to anything that the general population relates to.
I'd be the crazy guy writing math equations on the walls of the asylum (or some homeless shelter).

Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsWell, as by 'heat' i ment that you and the other guy, there was a bit of heat from both of you : p im not going to go into details. And you know what, me too.. iv been different my whole life.. maybe more maybe less. I can tell you only that everyone is different :) some more some less. For example, i don't have any friends. Apart from online people that i met from treehouse and now we code or whatever, or we are on slack group (if ud like to joying i could send you and invite) and so on.. but theres more then just that.
Would be interestign to knnow you better, wanna exchange some email or something?

Josh Keenan
20,315 PointsHey Konrad Pilch what sort of stuff do you do?

Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsI'm doing or focusing 100% on WordPress and jQuery/JS at the moment.
Later want to move into Rails, and if im going to be good enough into C# Obj-C.
Right now mainly well, have a look here

Josh Keenan
20,315 PointsSeeing the good ol' Lorem ipsum xD, why objective c? If interested in apps do them in JavaScript?

Konrad Pilch
2,435 PointsLorem ipsum on my blog ? xD
I ment C# and Obj-C :D mainly C# and Obj-C because i would get better understanding ish form C :D
My main goal that i want to do is a game. Yes, a GAME :D
ATM im in the web, and want to get fullstack on it with Rails. After when im good enough and i can earn then i wanna dive full into C# and maybe modeling. Only after if im going to be good enough in the web, when i decide that my HTML/CSS and so on.. are very very very good. COuld be this summer, could be next year. It depends form me.
Plus im not as that much interested in JS, at least at the moment. jQuery is enough atm :D im more into back-end now, but im quite liking the front-end

Jan Oberreiter
78,021 Points... first, I think it is good, that Treehouse has this points system because it is a gamification approach and it works well for lots of people. But when I read ... when James writes: My point in posting in this thread is that Treehouse never made any guarantee that anything in your life is going to change ... well naturally ... if I would go to some university, that would guarantee me, that their degree is worth a certain "amount" ... I would definitely not go there, because it is what you make of the things you learn at Treehouse ... and btw. ... this is the way, that live works in general ... no one that is just a little bit serious would ever give a guarantee ... so I just don't understand, why ... yes, it is a lot of points ... more than 70K ... but it is, do you understand everything you made there ... I personally am repeating a lot lately, because ... nice to have a lotta points, but it has to sink in, so I am repeating a lot, but if Treehouse would say ... no, don't repeat anything, because ... 100K gets you a job there and 110Ks there ... then I would feel more like being on a fairground, than on a learning platform ... I think I learn a lot here, but I know, to get a job, I also have to put this knowledge into use ... not just make points and then ... I get a great job - this is just not how life works ... my opinion ...