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Programming is fun if you enjoy tinkering with computers. It's not if you don't. I see no reason at all for anyone to learn to do something that they don't ca

by throwaway22032 3y ago

Programming is fun if you enjoy tinkering with computers. It's not if you don't. I see no reason at all for anyone to learn to do something that they don't care about. There are many ways to make a living, and people like Paul know this well.

bee_rider 3y ago
Computers are everywhere nowadays. Everybody should learn enough to throw a couple lines of python together. It’s more like the ability to interface with the computer more pedantically. Not everybody needs to learn about SIMD and cache line widths. But it would be useful if most office workers could learn how tell the computer: Look at all the purchase orders in this directory, if they have a customer name, copy them to this folder, if they don’t, copy them to the “needs inspection” folder. Or whatever.
- throwaway22032 3y ago
  Furniture is everywhere nowadays, everyone should learn enough to build a cabinet. Cars are everywhere, everyone should know how to change their oil. Etc. I personally feel that way too. But everyone has their poison. What you like is not what I like.
  - bee_rider 3y ago
    > Furniture is everywhere nowadays, everyone should learn enough to build a cabinet I don’t think everyone should learn how to build a computer. Most people should be able to, like, replace a cabinet hinge though. Maybe not everyone but it is a common enough skill that we don’t talk about whether or not people should learn it.
- dlivingston 3y ago
  > But it would be useful if most office workers could learn how tell the computer: > Look at all the purchase orders in this directory, if they have a customer name, copy them to this folder, if they don’t, copy them to the “needs inspection” folder. Or whatever. One day soon the office worker will be able to tell the computer that, literally and verbatim, and it will do it. Was it Karpathy who said plain English is the programming language of the future?
- bossyTeacher 2y ago
  Health is literally vital for you as a human. Everyone should be doing daily workouts and maintain a certain level of fitness (which I am guessing most programmers here sharing your point don't) and cooking fresh food regularly (which I am guessing most programmers here sharing your point don't). Do YOU do that? The reality is that there are things that are beneficial to us that we should all be doing but we don't. Sometimes we get lucky and some of the things we like are things that we should be doing so we get on our high horse and begin preaching without realising that we are literally in the same position as everybody else.
from-nibly 3y ago
Ahh yes, if you dont like writing you shouldn't learn to do it either.

bee_rider 3y ago

Computers are everywhere nowadays. Everybody should learn enough to throw a couple lines of python together. It’s more like the ability to interface with the computer more pedantically. Not everybody needs to learn about SIMD and cache line widths. But it would be useful if most office workers could learn how tell the computer: Look at all the purchase orders in this directory, if they have a customer name, copy them to this folder, if they don’t, copy them to the “needs inspection” folder. Or whatever.

throwaway22032 3y ago
Furniture is everywhere nowadays, everyone should learn enough to build a cabinet. Cars are everywhere, everyone should know how to change their oil. Etc. I personally feel that way too. But everyone has their poison. What you like is not what I like.
- bee_rider 3y ago
  > Furniture is everywhere nowadays, everyone should learn enough to build a cabinet I don’t think everyone should learn how to build a computer. Most people should be able to, like, replace a cabinet hinge though. Maybe not everyone but it is a common enough skill that we don’t talk about whether or not people should learn it.
dlivingston 3y ago
> But it would be useful if most office workers could learn how tell the computer: > Look at all the purchase orders in this directory, if they have a customer name, copy them to this folder, if they don’t, copy them to the “needs inspection” folder. Or whatever. One day soon the office worker will be able to tell the computer that, literally and verbatim, and it will do it. Was it Karpathy who said plain English is the programming language of the future?
bossyTeacher 2y ago
Health is literally vital for you as a human. Everyone should be doing daily workouts and maintain a certain level of fitness (which I am guessing most programmers here sharing your point don't) and cooking fresh food regularly (which I am guessing most programmers here sharing your point don't). Do YOU do that? The reality is that there are things that are beneficial to us that we should all be doing but we don't. Sometimes we get lucky and some of the things we like are things that we should be doing so we get on our high horse and begin preaching without realising that we are literally in the same position as everybody else.

from-nibly 3y ago

Ahh yes, if you dont like writing you shouldn't learn to do it either.