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I actually disagree. Maybe this sounds like nitpicking, but I think it would be much more beneficial for non-technical people to be familiar with high-level, co

I actually disagree. Maybe this sounds like nitpicking, but I think it would be much more beneficial for non-technical people to be familiar with high-level, commercially used concepts in computing such as servers, databases, how the web works, and how data is managed in general. At least to me, learning 'code' has the connotation of learning the bare minimum to make a web app. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what most of these 'learn to code' initiatives seem to push and it gives people the wrong idea on how much they've really learned.

collyw 13y ago
from my replies, I think you have said what I wanted to say, but worded it better.
rohamg 13y ago
all these comments are all like saying "i think it would be better if electricity conducted faster through plastic than copper" - regardless of your reasoning of where is the "better" place to start, the reality is if you spend time talking to non-technical folks they don't give a hoot about servers and databases, they get excited about the possibility of just building something. after they've built something simple, and overcome the hump of seeing all of this as magic, they are ready to dig into everything else. spend time talking to your customers before prescribing solutions to their ills - it applies to startups as well as social good projects.
- capkutay 13y ago
  Yeah I don't think we're talking about the same 'customers'. I would not consider people who want to build something as a subset of the people we're talking about when we say 'everyone should learn code'. People who are actually motivated have bountiful, free resources to learn how to program online. People who want general knowledge of the technology landscape, at least enough to contribute in a career setting, might not benefit from skimming through a zed shaw book or doing codecademy for a week.

collyw 13y ago

from my replies, I think you have said what I wanted to say, but worded it better.

rohamg 13y ago

all these comments are all like saying "i think it would be better if electricity conducted faster through plastic than copper" - regardless of your reasoning of where is the "better" place to start, the reality is if you spend time talking to non-technical folks they don't give a hoot about servers and databases, they get excited about the possibility of just building something. after they've built something simple, and overcome the hump of seeing all of this as magic, they are ready to dig into everything else. spend time talking to your customers before prescribing solutions to their ills - it applies to startups as well as social good projects.

capkutay 13y ago
Yeah I don't think we're talking about the same 'customers'. I would not consider people who want to build something as a subset of the people we're talking about when we say 'everyone should learn code'. People who are actually motivated have bountiful, free resources to learn how to program online. People who want general knowledge of the technology landscape, at least enough to contribute in a career setting, might not benefit from skimming through a zed shaw book or doing codecademy for a week.