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How a blacksmith learned to code

joshuakemp.blogspot.com

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Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#11

Post by gwern »

elteto wrote: post #10

I really liked this post, is full of good advice on how to implement big changes, like having small, bite-sized goals where performance is easy to evaluate. The networking part was very well done, forcing himself to engage the community, it puts him out there and provides positive value. And finally, building a very simple website for someone was a great idea, there's nothing like getting experience from a real world…

Yes, small bite-sized goals is so important for keeping going in long-term discouraging projects - as let's face it, programming can be infuriating and tedious! lukeprog calls the focus on small bite-sized goal "success spirals" http://lesswrong.com/lw/58m/build_small_skills_in_the_right_... and I think it's definitely important.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#12

Post by jasonpbecker »

knes wrote: post #4

So basically it was more how to market yourself and get a job to "learn how to code".

Actually that was pretty important advice and a huge part of the picture/story. You can learn through non-traditional pathways just fine, but if you want to turn that learning into a career you're going to have to know a lot more about marketing and put it into practice than someone who has taken the traditional route, with a familiar story, and traditional access to employment opportunities.

This could have easily been a story about someone who spent a year learning to code and reporting how it was a waste of time because no one wanted to hire them. I bet a lot of folks run into that and just don't bother to write about it or make it to the top of Hacker News. Marketing matters, and if you're going to put in 20 hours a week as an investment in yourself you better be thinking about how to get a return.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#14

Post by ciclista »

clarry wrote: post #7
invalidOrTaken wrote: post #2

Frankly, I'd be more interested in "How a developer learned to forge metal."

I don't think there's a much of a story to write about it, but I decided I don't want to waste a life employed in IT after all (as someone who's been coding all his life), and wanted to learn something new. Eventually I chose metal work; now I'm learning welding and machining. I'm also hoping to learn something about casting and forging and stuff. Coding will remain a hobby so that I may focus on what I love about it…

I'm currently learning how to weld as well (full time program). There's definitely something very satisfying in learning how to build things with your hands.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#15

Post by davidgerard »

joshuakemp1 wrote: post #9

@sherr Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I guess I should have clarified that by NO MEANS do I consider myself a Software Engineer, I am still VERY much a junior developer who has the awesome opportunity to get to work on an awesome development team at ZipList! I love getting to learn and be mentored by the senior developers at ZipList. I only wrote this article and blog to show others not to give into the…

I'm spreading this to everyone as a lesson in Applied Arse-Kicking.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#16

Post by davidgerard »

knes wrote: post #4

So basically it was more how to market yourself and get a job to "learn how to code".

No, it's both - note that Josh marketed the hell out of himself (and that he provided a concise and easily-followed how-to for that is why this page is brilliant) and hit the tutorials really hard and do one real-world project so he did in fact have the chops to say "I am a junior developer who is worth his salary."

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#17

Post by davidgerard »

gwern wrote: post #11
elteto wrote: post #10

I really liked this post, is full of good advice on how to implement big changes, like having small, bite-sized goals where performance is easy to evaluate. The networking part was very well done, forcing himself to engage the community, it puts him out there and provides positive value. And finally, building a very simple website for someone was a great idea, there's nothing like getting experience from a real world…

Yes, small bite-sized goals is so important for keeping going in long-term discouraging projects - as let's face it, programming can be infuriating and tedious! lukeprog calls the focus on small bite-sized goal "success spirals" http://lesswrong.com/lw/58m/build_small_skills_in_the_right_... and I think it's definitely important.

OTOH, taking up with the Scientologists is probably not the ideal part of that to emulate.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#18

Post by ammon »

I'm an erstwhile (amateur) blacksmith, now a programmer. Funny to see the two together. Blacksmithing and programming are both areas where practitioners make their own tools. Compilers and tongs can be bootstrapped.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#19

Post by RyJones »

toddan wrote: post #3

everybody is learning howto code but when will people learn how to solve hard problems. I would rather see people learning complex math and physics before learning how to code. creating various crud applications is not really that hard.

so very, very little of day-to-day coding is what I bucket as CS problems. It's mostly turn the crank part assembly that's needed.

Not that CS problems aren't out there, but your architects should be decomposing those for more junior people.

Re: How a blacksmith learned to code

#20

Post by elteto »

gwern wrote: post #11
elteto wrote: post #10

I really liked this post, is full of good advice on how to implement big changes, like having small, bite-sized goals where performance is easy to evaluate. The networking part was very well done, forcing himself to engage the community, it puts him out there and provides positive value. And finally, building a very simple website for someone was a great idea, there's nothing like getting experience from a real world…

Yes, small bite-sized goals is so important for keeping going in long-term discouraging projects - as let's face it, programming can be infuriating and tedious! lukeprog calls the focus on small bite-sized goal "success spirals" http://lesswrong.com/lw/58m/build_small_skills_in_the_right_... and I think it's definitely important.

I just noticed your username, and I have to say thank you for your detailed articles and specially for your melatonin study. It personally helped me in improving my sleeping habits when I was having a lot of stress-induced sleeping issues. Thanks again!
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