My "real" advice for impatient programmers: just start programming, and every time you encounter a problem google it. Don't know how to setup node.js? Google should lead you to `npm init` or a starter. Getting some weird syntax error? Google it. Once you learn the basics, want to do X? Google it and determine a) how to do X, or b) if X can't be done / is bad practice. Just by diving head-first into whatever you're tr…
> "My "real" advice for impatient programmers: just start programming, and every time you encounter a problem google it." In my experience, this is a terrible advice. However, many of my students follow this advice over my protests and only a handful of them actually learn anything at the end of a long masters program.
a) "I learn what I need to accomplish this task". This is observed as question/answer and only the simplest version of the answer is needed. So something like "how do I create a variable x and assign 10 into it. All he's looking for is x = 10
b) The second kind wants to understand the nuance of what's happening, so they can apply that nuance to future code. They are looking for an answer, but the are interested in the working that leads to the answer. So in the above example they want x = 10 var x = 10 let x = 10 options{x:10}
and so on. They digest when to use one and when to use another, and they delight in using the correct form in the correct place.
In my experience (a) programmers will get through tasks quickly, but with shallow understanding. They will eventually have all the tools, but lack the ability to see the big picture. They struggle to read other people's code.
On the other hand (b) programmers learn much more slowly, they take a lot of time to accomplish tasks because they are being distracted by their curiosity. But after that investment they easily outstrip their peers in productivity, and more importantly can do things that an (a) type programmer can never do.
What I've come to accept though is that giving a (b) answer to an (a) questioner just leaves them confused. They asked about assignment, and a discussion of scope just leaves them befuddled (since they don't know what scope is anyway). Which can be frustrating to the answerer who is a type (b).
Type (a) should not be doing a Masters program in the first place, so I feel your pain in that regard. Google is great when you're out in the world, but it's a terrible way to "big picture" learn.