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Discussion on: The 7 Myths of Learning to Code

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stephsmithio profile image
Steph Smith

Yes, exactly! I think it's important especially for new programmers because it's easy to get overwhelmed with everything out there!

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Jesse Phillips

What is interesting is, even though I have experience and constantly explore new things, there is still things out of reach.

I would love to have experience with machine learning, D needs a better GC and it would be interesting have knowledge to cover that. It is not like I can't, but grabbing time outside work and choosing other programming things I want stop me.

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Scott Simontis

That rabbit hole is so familiar! We have so many choices when it comes to technology, and the industry has, for the most part, become so obsessed about specific technologies, that we are never taught to value what we try to condense to the concept of "domain knowledge" is really the most instrumental part of programming. If one don't clearly understand the problem and the solution, it doesn't matter how many languages are used, the problem won't get solved at the end of the day.

Some languages are better than others at expressing a problem or a solution, but it still took someone with deep domain knowledge to notice that utility or specifically create it. Machine learning throws a curveball into the system; we have enough computing power that, given enough monkeys, we probably can end up with the entire works of William Shakespeare. Or it could just take up a lot of processing power.

I'm glad computing has reached a point where non-traditional backgrounds are no longer as heavy as a barrier to entry. I probably would have made more money at the beginning if I finished up my CS degree, but instead I ended up becoming an EMT and going on a detour that totally changed my perspective on life.

Intuition is an interesting concept. I've seen hopeless cases survive because someone decided to order a random test before they threw in the towel and end up discovering it's something we can easily treat, we just aren't used to encountering it that way. And sometimes, no matter how many resources you have or how much knowledge you possess, systems are so interconnected and complex that you can't manage state in a predictable or positive manner.