In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
sushantsrivastava.substack.com
In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
1–10 of 24 posts
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#2unfortunately the tech industry doesnt work this way. i have switched programming languages and this got me to a much better financial and career position. so again it depends
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#3[deleted]
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#4More concretely learn how to write specs in Gherkin/Cucumber and back them with TLA+ and Alloy before you code. Remember the speed of light (about 1 ns per foot) and annotate those specs with best case data travel latency.
Use holistic profiling like https://twitter.com/OptimyzeCloud/status/1351203905850519557
When you see performance issues then dig into your language stack and learn how to remediate them.
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#5I've heard the "fox plus hedgehog" idea before, as having a "T-shaped skill set". You have a familiarity with a range of related topics (this is the cap of the T) and deep understanding of a few things (the stem of the T). The premise is that this means you provide valuable expertise (for the deep part). But the breadth of basic knowledge means you are also able to collaborate and delegate well.
I've found that having other languages than my workaday ones in my repertoire is a valuable part of the cap of the T -- although it's certainly not the only kind of thing that should be there.
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#6My own concept is rather simpler I would say: apply the 80-20 rule; that is, 80% of your time, use the tool set you know best that get you paid and the remainder 20%, invest it in learning things that interest you.
Of course, when it's off or weekend days, feel free to swap the rule to 80% learning and 20% to anything else you must do.
Obviously it's just a suggestion, not a mandatory task, but hey; whatever works for you, isn't that right?
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#7My own concept is rather simpler I would say: apply the 80-20 rule; that is, 80% of your time, use the tool set you know best that get you paid and the remainder 20%, invest it in learning things that interest you. Of course, when it's off or weekend days, feel free to swap the rule to 80% learning and 20% to anything else you must do. Obviously it's just a suggestion, not a mandatory task, but hey; whatever works fo…
What’s important at the end of the day is to improve and not stagnate.
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#8I'd planned on learning Rust this year, this article did little to convince me otherwise.
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#9I'd planned on learning Rust this year, this article did little to convince me otherwise.
After learning Rust 5-6 years ago, I haven't felt a need to learn anything else (before that I was learning / trying out a language or two a year).
Re: In 2021, Don't Learn a New Programming Language
#10Learn stuff when it makes sense.
Two and a half years ago I felt stuck working with only dynamic languages most of my career so I started learning Rust. Now I have an extremely powerful tool in my belt that solves problems that most dynamic languages cannot solve [adequately].
But I'm not going to learn yet another dynamic language if that won't make me any money or expose me to a new way of thinking, no. Nor will I relearn C++.
Furthermore, if I make a comeback to JS then I'll prefer to learn TypeScript and pick the most productive tools for it (Parcel struck me as mostly getting out of the way).
I get the overall sentiment of the article even if it expresses it rather poorly.
It has a good point, though; many of us the programmers are rather capricious and spoiled and get distracted by new shinies -- as opposed to learning several skills deeply and be then very useful to the business we're serving.
We easily forget that we do what we do for money.