I'd like to start taking amphetamines. What do you recommend?
electronslave: To reiterate other sentiments on this site: don't.  Just.  Don't.  And if you're going to do it, get a prescription for Adderall.  A physician is a valuable resource, even if you have to go out of pocket.  Your average street dealer is guaranteed to sell you cut goods, even if he didn't do it himself.  Plus that street dealer won't cut you off if things go pear-shaped.Read Erowid.  You'll see that it just changes your brain's chemical balance slightly; it doesn't change you any more than you change you.  In the case of speed, it'll push you toward being a clenched-up asshole who gets OCD about stuff.  A lot of young academics / independent programmers are already that way without speed.  Carefully weigh your choices here.There exist other options, as well, all of which I recommend.  Physical activity changes how your noodle works.  Group therapy (or, not that I'm into it, religion) might change your brain's chemistry.  Probably the most-mentioned factor, diet, has a huge impact on how your brain operates.  If you aren't considering these things before putting drugs into you, then you're probably not making a rational decision.The downsides of pumping yourself full of speed are: you will jettison your girlfriend/boyfriend if you have one, your heart muscle will work overtime, you will have less energy (but be awake for longer) and you'll gain a bit of weight once you get off the stuff.On a related note: jeez, kids these days...