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I wonder if there is a gap in the audio market for low-level podcasts aimed at building technical "muscle memory". Example: repeated syntax step-throughs in a

I wonder if there is a gap in the audio market for low-level podcasts aimed at building technical "muscle memory". Example: repeated syntax step-throughs in a rote/kata style, like foreign language courses. I've never seen anything like that and have often wondered if it could work without the visual accompaniment.

dewey 4y ago
I don't see how this would be that useful. If you are learning a foreign language, you already know what you want to say, but not how to say it in the new language. Syntax doesn't really matter after programming for more than a year, as the important part is how to solve a problem, and not how to write down that solution.
- mellosouls 4y ago
  True, but stumbling over even basic idioms and syntax can be quite frustrating if you have not used them enough to absorb them, especially for those like me with dodgy memory retention.
  - Kwpolska 4y ago
    That would be best solved by writing more code and practicing. A lot of syntax is just hard to convey over audio.
frou_dh 4y ago
I've actually found it quite an active/engaging experience to take in some normal code-presenting videos/screencasts as audio-only (i.e. earphones in, phone in pocket), because you build up in your minds eye the code they're talking about.
- mellosouls 4y ago
  Ah yes, that's a good idea. I think I've actually done that in the past, come to think of it, when walking; listening to a video course and occasionally screenshotting the phone at a bit I wanted to come back to.
nsteel 4y ago
Do you mean like https://newrustacean.com https://newrustacean.com by Chris Krycho? Although you have to really concentrate when he starts reeling off those generic method signatures, I love that he went that way with it. And I think it works. Please do some more, Chris!
- mellosouls 4y ago
  I was actually thinking more of an audio version of something like learnxinyminutes [1] but yes, that also seems a good use of the medium at a higher level, thanks! I didn't get to the method signatures/other syntax recital part yet, so it may be what I'm thinking of as well. [1] https://learnxinyminutes.com/ https://learnxinyminutes.com/

dewey 4y ago

I don't see how this would be that useful. If you are learning a foreign language, you already know what you want to say, but not how to say it in the new language. Syntax doesn't really matter after programming for more than a year, as the important part is how to solve a problem, and not how to write down that solution.

mellosouls 4y ago
True, but stumbling over even basic idioms and syntax can be quite frustrating if you have not used them enough to absorb them, especially for those like me with dodgy memory retention.
- Kwpolska 4y ago
  That would be best solved by writing more code and practicing. A lot of syntax is just hard to convey over audio.

frou_dh 4y ago

I've actually found it quite an active/engaging experience to take in some normal code-presenting videos/screencasts as audio-only (i.e. earphones in, phone in pocket), because you build up in your minds eye the code they're talking about.

mellosouls 4y ago
Ah yes, that's a good idea. I think I've actually done that in the past, come to think of it, when walking; listening to a video course and occasionally screenshotting the phone at a bit I wanted to come back to.

nsteel 4y ago

Do you mean like https://newrustacean.com https://newrustacean.com by Chris Krycho? Although you have to really concentrate when he starts reeling off those generic method signatures, I love that he went that way with it. And I think it works. Please do some more, Chris!

mellosouls 4y ago
I was actually thinking more of an audio version of something like learnxinyminutes [1] but yes, that also seems a good use of the medium at a higher level, thanks! I didn't get to the method signatures/other syntax recital part yet, so it may be what I'm thinking of as well. [1] https://learnxinyminutes.com/ https://learnxinyminutes.com/