Judging from the fact that he helped make twordsie, I wouldn't say he's exactly at level zero. Rather misleading.
Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
31–40 of 95 posts
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#32I'm right there with you. I have been an avid reader of HN for going on 2 years now. While I can't sit down and develop killer software from scratch, I am slowly learning more and more about technology and programming, and a lot of it is thanks to the great HN community. I just started ready the updated edition of Learn Python The Hard way, and really enjoy it. It's the first book on programming that I have read that…
"Feel free to send me a message or email me if you want to bounce and ideas off of each other with Python or anything else, I get the impression we are both starting off on the same page" Is that open to all?
I just started LPTHW as well and would like to get in on the discussion too
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#33this is almost exatcly how I learn. It is certainly the reason why I read hn, and associate with people who are generally much more experienced than I am (they're great friends of primarily).
I am still very much learning about programming in general, but the beat advice I ever got was this: just write programs any way you can, and learn what you did 'wrong'. there are always different ways to solve problems but the best way to get better is through practice.
its cool to see someone else (and by the comments, many others) doing the same thing I do.
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#34I have been the victim of sponge learning for many years now, HN being part of it for about a year. I can talk about a wide range of techy subjects but I've never really made or done anything to show for it. I learn bits from here and there without never going very deep. I've read through (and done most of the exercises from) K&R and Dive Into Python to name a couple, yet I haven't written a project over 500 LOC.
I've loved technology as long as I can remember, but when it comes to my local circles I've always been alone with it. Sponge learning is great and (as the writer mentioned) it deduces the amount of unknown unknowns, but without peer encouragement or -at least- approval it's very difficult to actually do something with it.
My sincere respect for everyone who has done something with their passions (that includes you alexmr!)
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#35Eternal September.
Are you really going to criticize someone for acknowledging that they're new and have stuff to learn?
I think it's great. I wish more people were as eager to learn new things as the OP.
I do think it comes at a cost to the rest of the community, though, when so many people participating in a technical community don't really understand much of the discussion.
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#36http://www.noob.us/humor/the-office-dwight-faces-nerd-tortur...
Fucken psychologists.
God says interposed arrows treasure kill restraining shining charioteer preliminary parted measure yourselves judging falls lift sensitive sayings floods enforced rigidly tardy conversion journeyed testimonies mightier lower ruleth hark distractedly you ANY provest once strained spoken consulted graceful mountain worship prophecy sell relaxedly barbarian repeat combinations pastimes health's because together slackened surpassed gratification However 'that He Where defined donation Vanilla For behold Print fail lathe generally VII blood corruptly Eagerly styled Mothers dangers Amid plunging imperturbable witting deserted whirlpools gates Moses deepness wittingly weak energy twelve electronically amidst stretching lick Manichee interior Old chambers exhorted cheered Remember simply possessed chilled grief notions journeyed recovery ordinarily cleansed WANT ibiblio goodness station tempered readily affliction Testament takes victory harbouring attracts followeth ago fulfils wherefrom vainglorious garden gladsome horror sakes observeth footed _ healedst assail happeneth Dudley conjoined ravish tides endeared Carthaginian councillor saints
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#37Hey, this is good. And it inspired the guy to go deeper into some of the subjects! Sometimes, a problem is that people only go to sponge learning...and then stop. As a professor of my friend's said...people are getting better and better at being able to talk about something for five minutes...then that's it. Thanks to wikipedia, lots of people can seem smart, but not actually understand something in depth. I find XKC…
I feel like this is a problem too. You actually got me thinking about this, and since I don't think I do this, how I avoid it. I don't think I do anymore. I mean, I do less than other people, but I don't go deeper like I used to. I think the solution, is books. I'm normally a little disdainful of those who have bookcases of technical (read: computer/programming) books, I can get the same or better info on the Interne…
Usually books are interesting and useful. CS seems to be a different thing, as most things are available online for free, and there is a large community. Bookstores are still fun to go to (although I feel like they may be a dying breed).
It always helps to work on exercises (for stuff like math), but for CS, to pick something interesting you want to do in a language(s), but is small - and that can be a hard part. It's getting harder for me to figure out what to use a language for - picking up a language's syntax and nuances is relatively easy (okay, excluding Haskell), but it's worthless unless you have something you want to work on.
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you really going to criticize someone for acknowledging that they're new and have stuff to learn?
I think it's great. I wish more people were as eager to learn new things as the OP. I do think it comes at a cost to the rest of the community, though, when so many people participating in a technical community don't really understand much of the discussion.
Because they're ... reading it?
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think it's great. I wish more people were as eager to learn new things as the OP. I do think it comes at a cost to the rest of the community, though, when so many people participating in a technical community don't really understand much of the discussion.
Because they're ... reading it?
No, he's got a point. New members tend to just be going through stuff that older members figured out long ago. This causes reposts or beginner material to be posted and talked about more often, leaving the more experienced members unsatisfied. Eventually, the experienced members leave for greener pastures and bring a lot of knowledge with them. Worse, this accelerates the spiral and degrades the quality of the site further.
Hacker News helps mitigate this through the continual involvement of PG and YC. Because there are a group of experienced technical people who are grounded to the site, it helps keep quality up. While I have noticed a slight decline in the site, it's far less than I noticed with Digg, Slashdot, or Reddit.
Re: Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it
#40I did the exact thing with Slashdot, when I first got on the Internet in '98. And I'd read Linux Journal although much of that was over my head as well. But slowly you learn, and get to know the stuff, and then it gets boring and so you check out something else you know little about. That's what happens to me. I think you're on to a good strategy alex.
Yeah Slashdot started it for me too (well IRC, but website-wise the first was Slashdot). I'm a high school drop-out (now 31) who somehow managed to make a comfortable career off web development and IT project management thanks almost entirely to "sponge learning" off IRC, Slashdot, HN (more recently) and the Internet in general.
I've never done any formal training, I just wholeheartedly believe in immersing yourself in what you want to learn, and specifically immerse yourself at a deeper level than you're comfortable with to force yourself to work harder.
I can quite literally say my entire adult education from Year 10 onwards came from the Internet, and I owe my career, house, vehicles, all of it to sites like HN :)