> An example: rotation and balancing of binary trees - does battling the inevitable core dumps during implementation really enhance any understanding of the pri

> An example: rotation and balancing of binary trees - does battling the inevitable core dumps during implementation really enhance any understanding of the principle of the algorithm? It can especially if it is your first time learning about AVL, red black trees, etc. The process of implementing, debugging, etc can help you understand the algorithm and its underlying principles. Even more it shows you the practical merits and limitations. There have been times when I thought I understood an algorithm or data structure until I had to code it and then realized I didn't really understand it. But generally speaking, you don't need programming to understand "big-level" stuff in CS no more than you need a pen and paper to understand mathematics. Church and Turing didn't program and they helped create computer science.