3 ms·

> and in a few years time, not being able to code will be as big an impairment as not being able to read and write. Because, y'know, writing code is the easies

> and in a few years time, not being able to code will be as big an impairment as not being able to read and write. Because, y'know, writing code is the easiest thing in the world. And, y'know, anyone can do it, y'know.

intended 15y ago
Forgot the exact quote, but it stated that "in the future, everyone will need to understand statistics".
wyclif 15y ago
The point is not that coding is easy. After all, reading and writing are difficult for the illiterate. I think what he's trying to get across is that technical skills are going to be necessary, not optional, if you wish to be employed in the future.
- barkingtoad 15y ago
  Well, as long as coders still need to shit, plumbers will still fetch good money.
  - felipemnoa 15y ago
    Until engineers are finally able to build autonomous robots to fix your plumbing. And if they can fix your plumbing they can certainly fix a lot of other things.
    - barkingtoad 15y ago
      That level of robotics (and generation of cheap energy to run them) will lead to a world where goods are plentiful and cheap. That in turn means the poor win, or rather the definition of "poor" is re-defined, as it always is.
- randomdata 15y ago
  How does the need for technical skills differ from the past? How many of us in the HN crowd could jump onto the factory floor, or hop into a tractor on a farm and do it successfully on day one? I've been doing the latter for most of my life and I'm still not very good at it. Programming is a different skill set, but it's not any more difficult to acquire than any other skill needed to be employed now or in the past. The need for "unskilled" labour has mostly been a function of demand. If you can't find a skilled person to drive your tractor, you have to take your chances with training someone who is not. The job has to be done regardless. The crops will whither away to nothing if you are unable to get them off the field in time. I think we'll see one of two scenarios play out: 1. Programmers will be in ever increasing demand to the point where companies will be forced to hire anyone off the street and bring them up to speed on the work, like farmers and manufacturers have had to do in the past. 2. Programmers will not be in proportionally increasing demand and only the very best of the best will be employed in the field. Just acquiring the skills will not be enough to find you a job.

intended 15y ago

Forgot the exact quote, but it stated that "in the future, everyone will need to understand statistics".

wyclif 15y ago

The point is not that coding is easy. After all, reading and writing are difficult for the illiterate. I think what he's trying to get across is that technical skills are going to be necessary, not optional, if you wish to be employed in the future.

barkingtoad 15y ago
Well, as long as coders still need to shit, plumbers will still fetch good money.
- felipemnoa 15y ago
  Until engineers are finally able to build autonomous robots to fix your plumbing. And if they can fix your plumbing they can certainly fix a lot of other things.
  - barkingtoad 15y ago
    That level of robotics (and generation of cheap energy to run them) will lead to a world where goods are plentiful and cheap. That in turn means the poor win, or rather the definition of "poor" is re-defined, as it always is.
randomdata 15y ago
How does the need for technical skills differ from the past? How many of us in the HN crowd could jump onto the factory floor, or hop into a tractor on a farm and do it successfully on day one? I've been doing the latter for most of my life and I'm still not very good at it. Programming is a different skill set, but it's not any more difficult to acquire than any other skill needed to be employed now or in the past. The need for "unskilled" labour has mostly been a function of demand. If you can't find a skilled person to drive your tractor, you have to take your chances with training someone who is not. The job has to be done regardless. The crops will whither away to nothing if you are unable to get them off the field in time. I think we'll see one of two scenarios play out: 1. Programmers will be in ever increasing demand to the point where companies will be forced to hire anyone off the street and bring them up to speed on the work, like farmers and manufacturers have had to do in the past. 2. Programmers will not be in proportionally increasing demand and only the very best of the best will be employed in the field. Just acquiring the skills will not be enough to find you a job.