What I'm starting to do is find a few good books. Read and re read them. Then dive in. I've found this is far less frustrating than just figuring things out with a series of attempts and google searches when something goes wrong.
Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
111–120 of 124 posts
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#112I’ve a few different approaches I take depending on the task (and if I’m honest, my mood or levels of motivation): - a new programming language, especially something closer to a systems language, I have a standard set of things I’ll try to implement. Read/write a file. Turn a structured object into JSON, parse JSON to an object. Basic script that can be run from CLI, parses flags/args, reads stdin. Send a HTTP reques…
For me its always a website with access to a database and templating. It is insanely easy in Go to do it by only needing to import Gorm as your only external package. I really wish Rust would adopt a standard library HTTP server OOTB it just makes things so much nicer. People will always use other packages as they need to for example dot net has Sinatra, and Java has Spring and company despite both having JSP / ASP.…
Ruby has Sinatra, .NET has Nancy (which preceded Microsoft’s WEB API framework IIRC)
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#113Work very hard, every day for weeks, months and years until you get it right; then work even longer until you can't get it wrong. I've found that to be the "secret".
This is it. There are no secrets, no short-cuts. If there were we would all be using them. Techniques like spaced repetition and even the good-old "programmed instruction" that was popular into the 80's might help a little if the information is amenable to that. Some folks do better with certain techniques and not others. Some folks are better able to pivot previous skills into learning new ones faster. All of these…
Next you’ll be telling me to use a paper todo list and just bloody well get on with it! And you’d be right.
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#114My general approach for learning human languages, and for programming, is to start practicing as soon and as often as possible. You can spend years reading about stuff, but it's actually putting what you know into practice where real learning happens. I like the phrase, "Anything worth doing, is worth doing poorly."
It's not much of a "process" but it really works. In terms of more methodical things I do: checklists in markdown to keep track of practical steps I want to take, and spaced repitition flashcards with Anki for anything I need to memorize.
Beyond that, lots of coffee, physical activity and sleep to boost my performance and motivation.
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#115What works better for me is to try to do it every day in small amounts rather than herculean efforts a few times a week. As others have mentioned, spaced repetition is key. A habit is much easier to use for learning than just the constant reapplication of discipline. I'll highlight what I've learned about learning and what try to keep in mind.
* Proper sleep is highly important for memory consolidation and recall.
* Exercise (even walking) improves learning efficiency, mental clarity, and motivation.
* Pomodoro technique (I prefer 43-7) allows one to do sprints of learning and sustain the overarching session for longer. Unless I'm in flow, in which case I let it carry me forward without stopping.
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
No. There are optimized paths to reach the same understanding
Yes, but I'd argue that the path you took was a very suboptimal path to reach the same understanding since you almost surely didn't reach it. So now you'd have to redo almost everything in order to reach the same goal making it a very huge waste of time. Of course I cannot be sure of that, but I have seen so many people who learned the way you did and they had really poor understanding. In my experience only the peop…
100%. Good grades don't convey real deep thinking and understanding about a subject/skill. IMO.
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
For me its always a website with access to a database and templating. It is insanely easy in Go to do it by only needing to import Gorm as your only external package. I really wish Rust would adopt a standard library HTTP server OOTB it just makes things so much nicer. People will always use other packages as they need to for example dot net has Sinatra, and Java has Spring and company despite both having JSP / ASP.…
Ruby has Sinatra, .NET has Nancy (which preceded Microsoft’s WEB API framework IIRC)
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Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#118I’ve a few different approaches I take depending on the task (and if I’m honest, my mood or levels of motivation): - a new programming language, especially something closer to a systems language, I have a standard set of things I’ll try to implement. Read/write a file. Turn a structured object into JSON, parse JSON to an object. Basic script that can be run from CLI, parses flags/args, reads stdin. Send a HTTP reques…
Do you have a blog where you write about the stuff you learning or your notes ?:)
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#119printf, For/while loop, array handling, linked list, hash table, tree.
Now do a technological domain transfer to any new skill set.
Basic building block, work your way up, ???, profit!
Re: Ask HN: Do you have a process or a framework to learn specific skills quickly?
#120I teach others.
It forces me to understand the material because I have to actively recall it. I invent multiple ways to explain the concept which deepens the encoding.
I design and solve exercise of increasing difficulty.