Maybe there's a confusion here between programming and software development. One is a tool for the other, but can be used by itself too. I'm a physicist (not "

Maybe there's a confusion here between programming and software development. One is a tool for the other, but can be used by itself too. I'm a physicist (not "data scientist" though I work with plenty of data), and I've been programming since 1981. Anything I do, I want to do well, especially if I do it regularly or it could cause problems if done badly. I've made an effort throughout my career to keep up with good programming practices. I do that out of a combination of pride, curiosity, and professional ethics. But I'm not a software developer, meaning that I don't create software for widespread or long term use by others. We have an entire department for that, and many of their techniques are quite specialized. Naturally it wouldn't surprise me if further improving my skills also moves me closer to being capable of software development, and I'm happy to learn and apply their techniques at a pace that works for me. I think that a scientist who is capable of learning to program should receive guidance on how to do it better, but perhaps in stages, such as: 1. Writing code that has a better chance of working, even as it gets bigger and more complex. 2. Working with others on projects that involve sharing code, meaning that it has to be readable and conform to agreed upon standards. 3. Creating code that can be confidently "shipped" for widespread or long term use.