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Even if you're not literally typing things by hand, having an attitude of "I won't use this code until I understand what each keyword is actually doing" is very

by camtarn 10y ago

Even if you're not literally typing things by hand, having an attitude of "I won't use this code until I understand what each keyword is actually doing" is very useful. As the article says - learn what each word in "public static void main( String[] args )" actually means. This is the primary reason why old-style Visual Studio Windows programming really freaked me out: you start with a massive template, full of complex-looking code, and you're expected to just ignore it and write your own code in the little marked-out areas. I really like the new approach in C# using partial classes: all you have in your source file is your own code, and it's really easy to see how that maps to the UI that you're building. The rest is under the surface and can be treated as library code.

hardwaresofton 10y ago
Someone close to me has been learning to program (self-taught), and this is what I've tried to impress the most, the path to being an intermediate level programmer definitely cuts right through understanding as much as is reasonable about the effects the text you type have. I think it's also hard for this advice to help certain beginners if they don't know where to stop when they start going for knowledge about what's happening... It's so easy to start looking up keywords and all of a sudden end up being bombarded with terms you understand even less.
- ordu 10y ago
  If they don't know where to stop, then how they can learn where to stop? The only way, I think, is making errors. It's nothing bad in taking a glimpse of something too difficult to understand. Even failed attempts to understand something too difficult is not bad. The only risk is the loss of motivation because of failure.
  - hardwaresofton 10y ago
    So generally I would say that they learn where to stop (or never see the depths of the endless pit that is knowledge in the first place) with the help of a good teacher or textbook. A textbook that tells you just what you need to know, and just enough of what's happening under the covers to let you think you understand, and solidify what you're learning

by camtarn 10y ago

hardwaresofton 10y ago

Someone close to me has been learning to program (self-taught), and this is what I've tried to impress the most, the path to being an intermediate level programmer definitely cuts right through understanding as much as is reasonable about the effects the text you type have. I think it's also hard for this advice to help certain beginners if they don't know where to stop when they start going for knowledge about what's happening... It's so easy to start looking up keywords and all of a sudden end up being bombarded with terms you understand even less.

ordu 10y ago
If they don't know where to stop, then how they can learn where to stop? The only way, I think, is making errors. It's nothing bad in taking a glimpse of something too difficult to understand. Even failed attempts to understand something too difficult is not bad. The only risk is the loss of motivation because of failure.
- hardwaresofton 10y ago
  So generally I would say that they learn where to stop (or never see the depths of the endless pit that is knowledge in the first place) with the help of a good teacher or textbook. A textbook that tells you just what you need to know, and just enough of what's happening under the covers to let you think you understand, and solidify what you're learning