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What's the deal with all of this 'learn to code in just X easy steps' nonsense that keeps popping up everywhere lately? Just do it. Pick a random language, mak

What's the deal with all of this 'learn to code in just X easy steps' nonsense that keeps popping up everywhere lately? Just do it. Pick a random language, make a game, make a terminal script that prints sine and cosine, go and pick up a math textbook, read Wikipedia. You'll get there. Don't worry about the details. Don't know what sine and cosine are? Stop worrying about becoming a rockstar programmer. Go and learn about the glorious world we live in. The job will come later. You were not born to be an employee.

pgbovine 11y ago
Not commenting on this particular project, but to the general point of "just do it": very, very, very few people are autodidacts; it just happens that autodidacts frequent sites such as HN. The vast majority of learners need (ideally face-to-face) guidance to provide structure, motivation, and feedback.
- stegosaurus 11y ago
  Okay, so you've identified a prerequisite, then. People need to be taught autodidactism. If you're correct and the idea is valid, then tautologically they cannot do it themselves. Why? Because without being able to teach yourself, programming is a sisyphean task. What happens when you're done 'learning to program'? You just stick at that level forever?
  - smt88 11y ago
    > People need to be taught autodidactism I've come to believe that autodidactism is a function of enthusiasm rather than a certain skill. I learned to program by banging my head against the wall over and over. I never got sick of it. I know that I'd have become a better programmer faster if someone had saved me from a few of those head injuries and helped me take forward steps earlier.
    - Estragon 11y ago
      Being enthusiastic for wholesome things is a skill in its own right.
      - inspirebnb 11y ago
        Hey Guys, thanks for your all the comments;-) I agree with both of you... But, Co-living is a way to have a focused environment to achieve your goals, here are some examples: Do you wanna finish that code you've been planning to write since a year? Well, let's say that i'm a programmer and I live in a different city, and if you move with me for a week or two, I'll help you to write it and discuss it, and focus on it while enjoying a different environment etc. Example2: Wanna lose weight? Well, I'm a trainer... Live with me and I'll give you a focused sessions combined with the proper food diet... Example 3: Coming to NYC for business, and looking for a place to stay? Live with me, and I'll introduce you to the right people... ETC... So, It's BnB + Value I had so many bad experiences on AirBnB.. Because, People are usually busy, and they won't spend the time they've promised with you, and you end up with just a cheap room with a note: "leave the key under the mat when u leave" !! And That's why we've started InspireBnB.com , where we focus on the experince and not the room... Tell me what do you think?
  - true_religion 11y ago
    I have learned many things about programming which in retrospect, would have been much easier to learn if I could have taken a course on it and ask someone questions. Unluckily, I had no mentors, but I wouldn't suggest anyone turn down mentorship if they are offered it.
afarrell 11y ago
There is a skill to setting yourself up to learn well. In fact, for any given body of knowledge, learning that body of knowledge is its own skill. It is very hard to teach yourself 'Advanced X' if you don't know 'Basic X' because without knowing the basics, you run into walls and don't even know the outline of what a solution would look like. > You'll get there. Don't worry about the details. Actually, if you don't actively seek out well-written resources and possible-to-set-up environments, you won't. You'll run out of time because you have to go to the job that pays your rent. You'll get stuck and distracted because you are trying to sleep-deprive yourself in order to buy more time (doesn't work. learning well requires sleep.) Finding a well-written resource like Think Python[1] has a real and significant impact on someone's ability to learn to program alongside all the other stressors of life. So what happens after a person is done with introductory resources. Are they stuck at that level? No. They now have a map of the terrain of all the things they don't know and they could teach themselves. They have become better at teaching themselves more things in that domain. [1] http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/ http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/
- stegosaurus 11y ago
  "You'll run out of time because you have to go to the job that pays your rent." I think we have a fundamental disagreement here in that I don't believe that the answer to having a bad work-life balance is to try to increase your efficiency outside of work. If your job is taking over your life, you owe it to yourself and to the entire labouring population to try to fix that situation. Coping strategies are rarely good long-term solutions.
  - afarrell 11y ago
    > If your job is taking over your life, you owe it to yourself and to the entire labouring population to try to fix that situation. How? That requires negotiating power. Negotiating power requires either collective action or an individually having better alternative to working their current job. Collective action is risky because you could be fired and lose your $42,382 income.

pgbovine 11y ago

Not commenting on this particular project, but to the general point of "just do it": very, very, very few people are autodidacts; it just happens that autodidacts frequent sites such as HN. The vast majority of learners need (ideally face-to-face) guidance to provide structure, motivation, and feedback.

stegosaurus 11y ago
Okay, so you've identified a prerequisite, then. People need to be taught autodidactism. If you're correct and the idea is valid, then tautologically they cannot do it themselves. Why? Because without being able to teach yourself, programming is a sisyphean task. What happens when you're done 'learning to program'? You just stick at that level forever?
- smt88 11y ago
  > People need to be taught autodidactism I've come to believe that autodidactism is a function of enthusiasm rather than a certain skill. I learned to program by banging my head against the wall over and over. I never got sick of it. I know that I'd have become a better programmer faster if someone had saved me from a few of those head injuries and helped me take forward steps earlier.
  - Estragon 11y ago
    Being enthusiastic for wholesome things is a skill in its own right.
    - inspirebnb 11y ago
      Hey Guys, thanks for your all the comments;-) I agree with both of you... But, Co-living is a way to have a focused environment to achieve your goals, here are some examples: Do you wanna finish that code you've been planning to write since a year? Well, let's say that i'm a programmer and I live in a different city, and if you move with me for a week or two, I'll help you to write it and discuss it, and focus on it while enjoying a different environment etc. Example2: Wanna lose weight? Well, I'm a trainer... Live with me and I'll give you a focused sessions combined with the proper food diet... Example 3: Coming to NYC for business, and looking for a place to stay? Live with me, and I'll introduce you to the right people... ETC... So, It's BnB + Value I had so many bad experiences on AirBnB.. Because, People are usually busy, and they won't spend the time they've promised with you, and you end up with just a cheap room with a note: "leave the key under the mat when u leave" !! And That's why we've started InspireBnB.com , where we focus on the experince and not the room... Tell me what do you think?
- true_religion 11y ago
  I have learned many things about programming which in retrospect, would have been much easier to learn if I could have taken a course on it and ask someone questions. Unluckily, I had no mentors, but I wouldn't suggest anyone turn down mentorship if they are offered it.

afarrell 11y ago

There is a skill to setting yourself up to learn well. In fact, for any given body of knowledge, learning that body of knowledge is its own skill. It is very hard to teach yourself 'Advanced X' if you don't know 'Basic X' because without knowing the basics, you run into walls and don't even know the outline of what a solution would look like. > You'll get there. Don't worry about the details. Actually, if you don't actively seek out well-written resources and possible-to-set-up environments, you won't. You'll run out of time because you have to go to the job that pays your rent. You'll get stuck and distracted because you are trying to sleep-deprive yourself in order to buy more time (doesn't work. learning well requires sleep.) Finding a well-written resource like Think Python[1] has a real and significant impact on someone's ability to learn to program alongside all the other stressors of life. So what happens after a person is done with introductory resources. Are they stuck at that level? No. They now have a map of the terrain of all the things they don't know and they could teach themselves. They have become better at teaching themselves more things in that domain. [1] http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/ http://openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english3e/

stegosaurus 11y ago
"You'll run out of time because you have to go to the job that pays your rent." I think we have a fundamental disagreement here in that I don't believe that the answer to having a bad work-life balance is to try to increase your efficiency outside of work. If your job is taking over your life, you owe it to yourself and to the entire labouring population to try to fix that situation. Coping strategies are rarely good long-term solutions.
- afarrell 11y ago
  > If your job is taking over your life, you owe it to yourself and to the entire labouring population to try to fix that situation. How? That requires negotiating power. Negotiating power requires either collective action or an individually having better alternative to working their current job. Collective action is risky because you could be fired and lose your $42,382 income.