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Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

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Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#101
post #4

I'm looking for courses that seem to be the opposite of this... no language or programming at all, but instead looking at the process of breaking down problems. We've hired several devs out of bootcamp, and they're all taught how to code, but not how to solve problems using code... Anyone have material that might be good for this? Books, videos, courses?

Oddly enough, I've been contemplating starting such a service for a while now.

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#102
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We've hired several devs out of bootcamp, and they're all taught how to code, but not how to solve problems using code... Frankly any Algorithms & Data structures book should do the trick. Choosing the right data structure is often half the solution when solving a problem. That plus SICP and a book about Discrete Math should be enough for 90% of the daily problems.

I'm not sure Algorithms & Data Structures will help you all that much in the real world. In most modern languages, all the algorithms and data structures are already implemented in the standard library, and while having heard of them is beneficial, you won't get a lot of value out of knowing how to do a binary search. The problems that I see most junior devs struggling with are at a much higher level. How do you orga…

As an algorithmist, I strongly agree. Algorithms are of value, but they are not a high priority for junior devs. For a tiny fraction of problems, algorithms knowledge is absolutely essential, and often cannot be picked up at the time of need. But for almost all problems, especially the problems facing junior-to-intermediate devs, there is rarely any algorithms work. As you said, code organization. Long lists of things to remember to take into account (e.g. what areas require one to stop and get a security expert). Etc.

I think the best thing you can say for algorithms training is that, without it, you often don't notice that you need to get an algorithmist.

When people say, as my sibling commenters do, "find out why your n^3 approach is slow", or "do a substring match", I wonder what problems they're solving. Has this shit actually come up in your career, or is it just something that you imagine will come up? How many times has a cubic algorithm actually been the problem? As compared to doing five hundred DB queries, instead of one query that JOINs properly and returns a 500-row result set, which I see juniors and students do all the time, and is not an algorithms problem at all (it's the same asymptotic complexity, btw!). How many times have you tried to figure out a fast approach to substrings, and how rude was your code reviewer when they pointed you at the standard library?

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#103
i'm pretty sure that if you can't learn for yourself for free by using the internet (or even libraries and help files etc. like i did) your already starting on the wrong foot.

having the ability to solve that problem for yourself is important... if you struggle with that you will struggle in most real world dev roles imo, because you will need to continue to do this for yourself throughout your career.

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#104
post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Systems that already exist need to be maintained. Why do people still write COBOL? Because it's cheaper to maintain an already in place system than to rip it out and replace it with the newest fad.

I guess, but I'd imagine there's always more work for creating new sites than for maintaining old ones.

My professional experience says otherwise. There's always more work maintaining/enhancing sites than creating new ones.

By the way, Rails is the craze from maybe 10-6 years ago. consider e.g. [0] But it is still far, far from dead. Time flies, but not as fast as you suggest.

[0] https://www.google.ca/trends/explore?date=all&q=ruby%20on%20...

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Put the newbie gumshoes to work by tracking down simple bugs and designing simple patches to fix them. They need to be able to read other people's code to decipher and debug the coding style they are seeing before they are allowed to build any new module themselves. They need to understand other styles so they can form their own. They should be able to detect any code "smells" and reason with pros/cons why their impl…

>> They need to be able to read other people's code to decipher and debug the coding style they are seeing >> They need to understand other styles so they can form their own After 15 years of working professionally, I kindly have to disagree to a fair extent. It turns out that most - if not all - developers are not very good at writing clean code. Including (especially?) seniors who think they write the best code on…

As much as this is mostly true, its not always true... I've met at least 3 developers in my career i consider to write very good code, often better than my own... and a small handful i consider 'not-shit' and 'employable'...

The vast majority are just shit though. That was a hard lesson to learn. You want to give people the benefit of the doubt, but the industry is full of people who have learned nearly nothing in their careers compared to a really good grad who has never worked anywhere but has raw talent and good problem solving skills.

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> They need to be able to read other people's code to decipher and debug the coding style they are seeing >> They need to understand other styles so they can form their own After 15 years of working professionally, I kindly have to disagree to a fair extent. It turns out that most - if not all - developers are not very good at writing clean code. Including (especially?) seniors who think they write the best code on…

>> It took me a very, very long time to realize that it's simply a matter of fact that no two developers think alike, . . I was part of ThoughtWorks interview process sometime back. In one of the rounds called Pair Programming, a senior developer worked with me on the given problem statement. I arrived at right solution, but he wasn't happy with the solution just because he didn't like the way I solved it. I came bac…

I've been the other side of this as part of the interview process.

One person we were interviewing solved a problem pretty much exactly opposite to the way that we (and every other candidate) had solved it.

At first glance it simply looked wrong, but after a discussion with the candidate the strengths of the solution became apparent.

Happy to say they got the job, and ultimately turned out to be one of our best hires.

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#107
post #4

I'm looking for courses that seem to be the opposite of this... no language or programming at all, but instead looking at the process of breaking down problems. We've hired several devs out of bootcamp, and they're all taught how to code, but not how to solve problems using code... Anyone have material that might be good for this? Books, videos, courses?

How to Design Programs is written to address this issue.

From the preface:

The typical course on programming teaches a “tinker until it works” approach. When it works, students exclaim “It works!” and move on. Sadly, this phrase is also the shortest lie in computing, and it has cost many people many hours of their lives. In contrast, this book focuses on habits of good programming, addressing both professional and vocational programmers.

With “good programming,” we mean an approach to the creation of software that relies on systematic thought, planning, and understanding from the very beginning, at every stage and for every step. To emphasize the point, we speak of systematic program design and systematically designed programs.

http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/matthias/HtDP2e/index.html

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#108
post #4

I'm looking for courses that seem to be the opposite of this... no language or programming at all, but instead looking at the process of breaking down problems. We've hired several devs out of bootcamp, and they're all taught how to code, but not how to solve problems using code... Anyone have material that might be good for this? Books, videos, courses?

Put the newbie gumshoes to work by tracking down simple bugs and designing simple patches to fix them. They need to be able to read other people's code to decipher and debug the coding style they are seeing before they are allowed to build any new module themselves. They need to understand other styles so they can form their own. They should be able to detect any code "smells" and reason with pros/cons why their impl…

Just to leave some suggestions of puzzle games that are little hidden gems and that provide great logic thinking training. IMO they should be played in the order below:

1) Blockly Maze game (free) (https://blockly-games.appspot.com/maze?lang=en)

2) Jelly no Puzzle (free) (http://qrostar.skr.jp/index.cgi?page=jelly&lang=en)

3) Human Resource Machine (paid) (http://tomorrowcorporation.com/humanresourcemachine)

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#109
post #4

I'm looking for courses that seem to be the opposite of this... no language or programming at all, but instead looking at the process of breaking down problems. We've hired several devs out of bootcamp, and they're all taught how to code, but not how to solve problems using code... Anyone have material that might be good for this? Books, videos, courses?

From a higher vantage point, the ultimate reference still is from Descartes in Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences, esp. Part II

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse_on_the_Method

Re: Show HN: Learn to Code for Free

#110

Roben, I'm actually disappointed to find out that you've made this course free. It seems the folk on reddit gave you a nasty bit of pressure? Well, i don't see how you're going to be able to maintain this project(100's of hours of videos) without earning anything for it. Quality is bound to decrease in the long run. I believe you should stick with your previous model(Free for a month or two, subscribe when its useful…

Maybe incorporate an Ubuntu-style 'suggested payment' part to the signup? You could have one or two reminders during the course if they choose 'Free'. Or supplement with paid-for content that goes beyond the course?

I agree that it's a lot of work and wouldn't be unfair to seek some compensation.

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