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Please Learn to Code

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Re: Please Learn to Code

#21

Post by sgdesign »

babarock wrote: post #20
sgdesign wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think the comparison is apt, because learning plumbing only helps you with plumbing. Whereas coding knowledge can be applied to a lot of fields. To me, there's an argument to be made that coding can be considered (or maybe, will one day be considered) like a life skill on par with reading, cooking, or playing music. I agree it doesn't look like it right now, but I'm sure that a couple hundreds years ago the i…

I am absolutely not arguing agains this. Here's the extract from your text I disagree with: > I can’t think of many other skills that enable you to create something from scratch and reach as many people as knowing how to set up a simple website. > Just last week, I was able to come up with an idea and then launch a site in 2 days. That site was then seen by about 10,000 people in a couple hours. > Think about it: som…

Well, I think both point are valid. You should learn to code as you learned to write, to be able to function in a modern society.

And another good reason for learning to code (just like learning to write) is that it'll let you reach a lot of people, and possibly become extremely rich in the process. I guess that second argument is what Jeff Atwood is mostly disagreeing with.

Re: Please Learn to Code

#23

Post by kareemsabri »

"The first step is letting people know that learning to code is not that hard, and that if they put their mind to it they have a high chance of succeeding."

Is this even true? I think it's pretty well documented that the vast majority of the population actually has a high chance of failing. Look at failure rates in intro CS courses. Remember this?

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2006/07/separating-programm...

Re: Please Learn to Code

#24

Post by blindhippo »

I remember when VBA came out in MS Office.

Now your average tech savvy office drone could morph their excel spreadsheets into a full blown application capable of processing business data without having to jump through any of the traditional hoops the evil IT department normally demands.

And we ended up with a ton of buggy, dangerous "mission critical" piles of garbage because they were "designed" and built by non-programmers.

Software programming is a discipline on the order of engineering and it will continue to get more complicated and require more and more education going forward. So no, not everyone should learn to "code".

We should be encouraging people to THINK like a coder - to approach problems in a way to identifies root causes and starts coming up with proper solutions.

I'm not in the valley so may it's vastly different down there, but outside (in Canada) tech is still considered a very specialized field, software development especially. It is not considered as simple as basic household skills like plumbing, cooking and building a deck. I would not expect my lawyer to 1) know how to code or, 2) code in a professional and useful manner.

Re: Please Learn to Code

#25

Post by mattschoch »

For learning to code: -You develop analytical and problem solving skills. Similar to math, but more practical (how many people really use Calculus on a daily basis?) -You understand how computers work. No explanation necessary. -All the other good arguments people have made.

Against learning to code: -More bad programmers. -Even worse, more non-programmers who think they can code. Example: Someone does CodeYear and suddenly thinks they are a expert coder. Starts web design business. Sells poorly built wordpress themes to unsuspecting small businesses. If they have low prices, it makes potential customers think that all coding should be cheap("if they can do it for practically free, why should I pay you more?"). Thus, the entire industry suffers.

That isn't to say CodeYear is bad. I like it. It's great for people who actually want to learn to code and don't know where to start. It's bad for people who think they can sell websites after a few hours.

Re: Please Learn to Code

#26

Post by hesselink »

I think learning to cook is an interesting comparison. Would people react the way they do now if someone wanted to learn how to cook instead of learning how to code? I think learning to cook is a really worthwhile skill. It will teach you about food, ingredient and chemistry. It will maybe get you thinking about how we produce food in our world.

The same goes for coding. It will get you thinking about a lot of things that really matter to your life and the world.

Re: Please Learn to Code

#27

Post by peterwwillis »

I'd say coding is really a lot like learning a martial art. You get exercise (brain/body), you can use it to overcome difficulties (formatting complex documents/leg-sweeping a belligerent drunk), and you can develop it into a career if you focus. But really it's just a set of tools that have a wide ranging use. Of course, you also have to practice so you don't get rusty.

I think everyone who has a mind for problem-solving should learn to code. Heck, even people who aren't especially right-brained can use code to be creative and artistic. And sometimes it's just fun, damnit.

Re: Please Learn to Code

#29

Post by elisk »

I agree more with this rather than the other one - I see coding as speaking, writing, cooking [food], or composing music. Sure, not everyone in the world HAS to know how to compose music, but we still know how to compose a simple melody in our heads, and we sure as hell need to know how to write.

Coding isn't hard, coding is simple - simpler than a lot of other complicated things we have to learn as we grow up - and as such it should be mandatory in a world governed by computers.

Re: Please Learn to Code

#30

Post by debacle »

hesselink wrote: post #26

I think learning to cook is an interesting comparison. Would people react the way they do now if someone wanted to learn how to cook instead of learning how to code? I think learning to cook is a really worthwhile skill. It will teach you about food, ingredient and chemistry. It will maybe get you thinking about how we produce food in our world. The same goes for coding. It will get you thinking about a lot of things…

Learning anything is a good comparison. There is no harm in learning. Better to be a mediocre guitar player than not be able to play to guitar at all. It expands your mind, and lord knows you were just going to spend the time watching Desperate Housewives reruns.
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