[PLUG] Why Everyone Should Learn to Program

[Carla Schroder]

On Thursday 05 December 2002 14:22, Karl M. Hegbloom wrote:
> On Thu, 2002-12-05 at 08:04, Brent Rieck wrote:
> > On Thu, 2002-12-05 at 03:17, Karl M. Hegbloom wrote:
> > > Doesn't it just bug the shit out of you when some dope
> > > PRINTS an email?

No, why should it? There are all kinds of reasons for making hard copies, 
that's why we have printers attached to computers.

> They just plain don't know any different.  They've never been exposed to
> other, better, ways of doing things.  All they've ever used is Windows,
> and they don't have a computer at home.  They are not given admin
> priveledges on the computer they use at work, and know very little about
> what actually occurs inside the computer.
>Why Everyone Should Learn to Program:

I don't agree that learning to program makes a person a more skilled computer 
user. It's a different skill set. It won't make a person a better accountant, 
or writer, or better at analyzing and managing data. Where it may be useful 
is teaching people to think analytically. But it won't make them better at 
using applications. Training in the applications does that. 

In fact, I argue the opposite: that having a broad set of skills and life 
experiences makes programmers write better programs. How can you write good 
code without an understanding of what will work well, and be practical? How 
can you write good code if you have contempt for your users? How can you 
write good code without understanding the profession you are writing for, 
whether it be accounting, publishing, graphics, etc? Kind of like building a 
house without understanding what the people who live in them will need. Which 
is the standard, very few houses are designed sensibly. Just like most 
computer programs. 

-- 
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Carla Schroder
Bratgrrl Computing
www.bratgrrl.com
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