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This seems like a symptom of learning to code for the sake of being able to code, versus learning to code because you enjoy coding. It's just as much work in an
by _greim_ 12y ago
This seems like a symptom of learning to code for the sake of being able to code, versus learning to code because you enjoy coding. It's just as much work in an absolute sense, but the process in the latter case seems more effortless and fun.
There's a similar thing in the music world. Some people want to be good at guitar, others like playing guitar. The former get bogged down in despair, the latter fiddle around on their instruments every night without even thinking. Guess which ones end up getting good?
[edit] cholmon makes a good point; the enjoyment is more in creating things than in simply writing code.
- lojack 12y agoShortly after I began driving my uncle taught me drive stick. We went out a few times, I'd practice in the parking lot, and I was eventually able to get it in gear and drive on the streets. I was horrible at driving stick, stalling at intersections, but I was good enough at it to get by. It wasn't until I actually bought a car that had a manual transmission that I got good at driving stick. I was terrible because I was trying to learn to use the tool (stick shift) for the sake of learning. I learned to program in a completely utilitarian way. I had a problem that I needed to solve, I knew others had used programming to solve similar problems, so I learned only what I needed to know to solve the problem at hand. After using it this one time I began to notice all sorts of other problems around me that could be solved using programming. I developed my passion for coding because I understood it was a tool that could make my life easier.
- beachstartup 12y agothis is exactly why most programming tutorials are terrible. they show you how to do calculator exercises and spend hours and hours on data types and syntax. it's like driving around in circles in the parking lot over and over again. after struggling for years to 'get it' in my friends cars, i learned how to drive a stick in a single afternoon after saying 'fuck it' and buying a car with a manual transmission.
- cholmon 12y agoI agree to an extent, but instead of "enjoy coding", I'd say it's more "wanting to build things", at least in my experience; I do enjoy coding, but really it's the building of the things that's my primary motivating force. Or a similar modification of your music analogy: "Some people want to be good at guitar, others like making music".
- _greim_ 12y agoAgreed; "enjoy building stuff" paints a more complete picture than "enjoy coding."