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One thing I've never bothered to do is learn an API of X language really well. Because, I thought, I'll just look up whatever I don't know. But I'm constantly s
by cgs 17y ago
One thing I've never bothered to do is learn an API of X language really well. Because, I thought, I'll just look up whatever I don't know. But I'm constantly stopping to look things up and it really slows me down. Now I'm beginning to think there's really some value in having a strong command of an API. Has anyone tried using an SRS tool to help with this? Or is it simply a matter of not having enough experience with X language?
- chimariko 17y agoI am not sure about SRS for learning API of a language. However I have recently started to use mind maps for that. Whenever I come across a new language or library I take an A4 and a pen and put down all basic concepts. It helps to grasp the big picture of the system and to see the interconnections of different blocks of code. I prefer mind maps to the standard linear up-down way of writing stuff down because the schematic representation utilized in mind mapping eases the twist between the way information is stored on paper and (presumably) in the human memory. All in all I find spending some time on studying docs useful in contrast to the pure work-by-doing approach.
- gwern 17y agoActually, the SuperMemo site covers just this topic: http://www.supermemo.com/articles/programming.htm http://www.supermemo.com/articles/programming.htm tl;dr: if you will spend more than 5 minutes looking it up or trying to remember it over the next 10/20 years, then it's a net gain to memorize it in a SRS. I find this plausible, but I'm not sure 5 minutes is right - I understand from Anki users (Anki's statistics include 'how much total time ever have I spent looking at/on this particular card') that a card will cost you more than 5 minutes, and more like 10 minutes.