Techies from India will lap up this opportunity. As I see it, the incentive for them is not the $1000 bucks, but the chance for their product(if good) to be showcased on a much larger canvas.
You have pointed yourself what you are lacking. You should be loving programming, not liking it.Be passionate about it. If you love something you would invariably be pulled into doing something with it. You don't have to build something spectacular to show to others. Start small, write small programs that do one specific thing particularly well. For example pick any linux utility commands and try to write it in your choice of language. Just start with whatever idea you have, if you start coding the project, I am sure everything will fall in to place. Like a great man once said "Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it"
not just this story, but every successful person grabbed the little window of opportunity and one thing leads to another. The key is being prepared and taking the initiative.
No matter what the age, you can still take control of your life. Also, time wasted enjoyed is not wasted time. So what if your peers were successful in their 20's and you spent your time enjoying what you wanted. Agreed, that with age you are a different person in your physical and mental ability, you got to make the most of your time here and and have no regrets.
Nifty code. Nice to know trick. Personally the usefulness ends there. Folks are adding in just about every little css,js goodies. Internet is an awesome place to throw a stone and see it gather mass.
sometimes age is on your side and sometimes not. If one thinks they are worth more than what they are getting they should go get their worth, period. You have to trust your ability and back it up with unflinching guts. We live in fabulous times where showcasing your work is easier and the reach global.
Aaron achieved so much so young and had the potential to change the world even more for better. Everytime I hear his name or read a post about him cannot help my anger at the people who pushed him to the edge. I can only hope the people responsible for his untimely death are soon brought to justice .