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Why don't experts write articles? Why do I see "my first experience with x" so much more frequently than "I've written large complicated systems in x, here's h

by nfoz 12y ago

Why don't experts write articles? Why do I see "my first experience with x" so much more frequently than "I've written large complicated systems in x, here's how I use it"? I'm in no way criticizing the OP, I just wonder why these sorts of articles are especially valuable.

mattgreenrocks 12y ago
They do get written; you just don't see them on the frontpage as often. The crowd selects familiar things, like fixating on the syntax of a language, or the emphasis on the act of constructing a program (rather than the long-term maintenance). HN and /r/programming are pretty much mouthpieces for pop culture programming. Reinventing the wheel is perceived as newsworthy. Now, there's nothing wrong with pop culture programming! The only problem is when you stop growing in abilities and understanding. Personally, I tend to read: * lobste.rs (like HN, but more tech and less startup BS) * /r/haskell * Lambda the Ultimate At all three of these sites I am regularly confronted with material I do not easily understand, so I lurk and take in what I can.
dictum 12y ago
They are especially valuable to HN because most HN users have not used Rust for a long time [0]; they're still approaching the language. — I know your question isn't specific to this submission, but Rust is a new language, built to support an ongoing research project. Very few people, if any, could have written a large complicated system (apart from Servo). Even if an expert were to write an article explaining how they use Rust, it would be of little use to most people using Rust at this point in time. Example: Nobody was explaining how to use JavaScript for large complicated systems in 1998: the language itself wasn't ready for this kind of usage, and adoption hadn't reached the critical mass required for certain discoveries (language quirks, unexpected ways to do things, ready to use libraries and frameworks etc.) to be made. [0]: Substitute Rust for any new language.
- steveklabnik 12y ago
  And in some ways, very few people have ever used Rust for a long time, because it's always changing. If you read the same article a year ago, it would have been different.
PudgePacket 12y ago
I feel the same way. Perhaps it is more difficult with large projects due to proprietary code and IP laws.

by nfoz 12y ago

mattgreenrocks 12y ago

They do get written; you just don't see them on the frontpage as often. The crowd selects familiar things, like fixating on the syntax of a language, or the emphasis on the act of constructing a program (rather than the long-term maintenance). HN and /r/programming are pretty much mouthpieces for pop culture programming. Reinventing the wheel is perceived as newsworthy. Now, there's nothing wrong with pop culture programming! The only problem is when you stop growing in abilities and understanding. Personally, I tend to read: * lobste.rs (like HN, but more tech and less startup BS) * /r/haskell * Lambda the Ultimate At all three of these sites I am regularly confronted with material I do not easily understand, so I lurk and take in what I can.

dictum 12y ago

They are especially valuable to HN because most HN users have not used Rust for a long time [0]; they're still approaching the language. — I know your question isn't specific to this submission, but Rust is a new language, built to support an ongoing research project. Very few people, if any, could have written a large complicated system (apart from Servo). Even if an expert were to write an article explaining how they use Rust, it would be of little use to most people using Rust at this point in time. Example: Nobody was explaining how to use JavaScript for large complicated systems in 1998: the language itself wasn't ready for this kind of usage, and adoption hadn't reached the critical mass required for certain discoveries (language quirks, unexpected ways to do things, ready to use libraries and frameworks etc.) to be made. [0]: Substitute Rust for any new language.

steveklabnik 12y ago
And in some ways, very few people have ever used Rust for a long time, because it's always changing. If you read the same article a year ago, it would have been different.

PudgePacket 12y ago

I feel the same way. Perhaps it is more difficult with large projects due to proprietary code and IP laws.