[cjbprime]

For what it's worth, the only way I've ever learnt anything significant relating to programming was getting a job that demanded it. Want to learn Linux? Install it on your primary laptop and get a job that uses it. Same for Python or Ruby and Rails or whatever.

So, I think your feeling of incompetence may be just a feeling of being totally bored by doing the same thing for five years. If you got a job that, say, demanded you immediately learn how to make feature changes on a PHP site, I expect you could do it fine.

This doesn't cover everything in your post, though -- you're right, it does take years to become a kernel or compiler hacker. There's plenty of work to be done with fewer prerequisites than those two.

[bigohms]

I agree. Specialize in working on one aspect, starting from the most rudimentary "get sh*t running" and working your way up. Rails has been great for me as I've learned to poke around along the entire LAMP stack.

At most you'll need 3-4 books on computing math, sorts, data storage, etc for reference only. Slowly, one will need to start understanding more and more complicated aspects of CS, just to make stuff work. With the introduction of Github & other open source examples of coding, learning by example and trial is easy. During this time, I'd also grab a good book on database design & architecture.

[jrookie]

Thank you for your answer.

I have already installed linux as my primary OS at home, I still have to stick to windows in my job though.

[falcolas]

If you have the ability and the desire, install Cygwin on your work computer, and do as much work through that as you can. It may help.

[jrookie]

Thanks, I will give it a shot.