The biggest problem stopping programmers: Fear of the unknown
When I finished my programming degree, something weird happened
#ship30for30 day 24!
When I finished my programming degree, something weird happened
#ship30for30 day 24!
A surprising amount of my fellow students couldn’t code.
I would say even the vast majority of those who graduated, couldn’t code. At all.
Many of my friends told me themselves, even after 4 years of learning, they didn’t know how.
I would say even the vast majority of those who graduated, couldn’t code. At all.
Many of my friends told me themselves, even after 4 years of learning, they didn’t know how.
They knew it, but they didn’t.
They were smart people who spent a ton of time and effort learning. They knew the terms, the syntax. They knew the theory, they could pass the tests. They could solve the math puzzles and the leetcode problems. They could write some code.
They were smart people who spent a ton of time and effort learning. They knew the terms, the syntax. They knew the theory, they could pass the tests. They could solve the math puzzles and the leetcode problems. They could write some code.
But as soon as we had to make something, to actually build something it came crashing down.
The second they didn’t know how to do something they froze. As soon as they got past the limits of what had been directly taught to them, they got stuck.
The second they didn’t know how to do something they froze. As soon as they got past the limits of what had been directly taught to them, they got stuck.
They have no way to approach not knowing the next step.
They couldn’t overcome the unknown
You need an attitude of fuck around and find out
They couldn’t overcome the unknown
You need an attitude of fuck around and find out
Coding is a weird field
Most fields, especially more physical ones, involve huge amounts of repetition. You learn how to do something once, then you keep doing it in order to make new things. The work is producing the same thing at a high bar over and over.
Most fields, especially more physical ones, involve huge amounts of repetition. You learn how to do something once, then you keep doing it in order to make new things. The work is producing the same thing at a high bar over and over.
Coding is the opposite. You only have to do something once.
Then copy paste it every time you need to do it again. No programmer has any idea how to build the thing when they start building the thing. If they did, they would be done already!
Then copy paste it every time you need to do it again. No programmer has any idea how to build the thing when they start building the thing. If they did, they would be done already!
No programmer knows what they are doing
There is an infinite amount of new code, new systems and technical complexity. I 100% guarantee you there is not a person on earth who understands every part of it.
There is an infinite amount of new code, new systems and technical complexity. I 100% guarantee you there is not a person on earth who understands every part of it.
There is never a tutorial, school or teacher that can possibly cover it all or give you the next step
The only way to program anything is to get stuck a million times, google everything, try a gazillion things, watch it not work, take a walk, cry a bit, finally figure it out and keep going.
Don’t let confusion or uncertainty stop you.
Don’t let confusion or uncertainty stop you.
Don’t give up friends!
Also check out my other October writing challenge essays here:
Also check out my other October writing challenge essays here:
https://twitter.com/NickADobos/status/1456483810871156738
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