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I’m not really a good web developer, I'm just good at Googling things

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Re: I’m not really a good web developer, I'm just good at Googling things

#3

Post by adamgamble »

This is one thing that I make sure to tell any new developer. Don’t be embarrassed to google things. Understanding how to figure out the best way to solve the problem is the objective, not showing everyone that you’ve got all your tools memorized perfectly.

We have close to the summation of human knowledge at our fingertips. Why would we be embarrassed to harness that power?

Re: I’m not really a good web developer, I'm just good at Googling things

#6

Post by leetrout »

phalangion wrote: post #4

I'm a college professor. I try to teach my students enough that they know what to Google, and that they can understand and use the result. I can't teach nearly everything they might need in the future, but I can give them the foundation.

My reviews from students this semester included this little gem:

“He aggressively encourages the use of search engines”

Because every time they would ask me a question I would ask them if they tried to Google it first.

Re: I’m not really a good web developer, I'm just good at Googling things

#8

Post by klez »

phalangion wrote: post #4

I'm a college professor. I try to teach my students enough that they know what to Google, and that they can understand and use the result. I can't teach nearly everything they might need in the future, but I can give them the foundation.

Of course. Even MDs, despite all their years of study don't have all the procedures and possible diagnoses in their heads all the time and need to read literature and consult with other physicians to reach conclusions.

I'm not sure why people think software development (and computers in general) is somehow different. We don't know everything. We basically can't.

What we (and all other professions) have is knowledge on how to apply new information to what we already know.

So yes, you're right. You have to teach the basics, how to put them together and how to add new pieces once you inevitably hit something you don't know.

Re: I’m not really a good web developer, I'm just good at Googling things

#9

Post by kawsper »

Using search engines sometimes feel like a lost art if you spend any time in Facebook groups, where people will ask mundande, simple, and easily Googleable questions.

Sometimes I wonder if people do it to fill some sort of social need, and don't particularly care for the answer.

Re: I’m not really a good web developer, I'm just good at Googling things

#10

Post by k__ »

klez wrote: post #8
phalangion wrote: post #4

I'm a college professor. I try to teach my students enough that they know what to Google, and that they can understand and use the result. I can't teach nearly everything they might need in the future, but I can give them the foundation.

Of course. Even MDs, despite all their years of study don't have all the procedures and possible diagnoses in their heads all the time and need to read literature and consult with other physicians to reach conclusions. I'm not sure why people think software development (and computers in general) is somehow different. We don't know everything. We basically can't . What we (and all other professions) have is knowledge…

I allergic to Amoxicillin and always get irritated looks when I tell this a doctor. They usually have to search for an alternative in books, because they don't know them from the top of their heads.
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