[PLUG] How many of us write small scripts?

[John Jason Jordan]

On Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:46:27 -0800
Keith Lofstrom <keithl at kl-ic.com> dijo:

>On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 02:05:43PM -0800, John Jason Jordan wrote:
>> On Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:26:30 -0800
>> Keith Lofstrom <keithl at kl-ic.com> dijo:
>> 
>> >Perhaps I can help teach some scripting, and learn some GUI hacking
>> >from others.  The real value of open source systems is that they
>> >empower us to create, not just consume.
>> 
>> I would like to know about basic shell scripting. At the moment I know next
>> to nothing. 
>> 
>> I would attend a class for beginners. Having said that, maybe it would be
>> possible to do a web-based class. Moodle? Exercises for the student to do? A
>> professor who will check for questions several times a day? Or does this
>> already exist somewhere on the web? If not, could the creation of such a
>> web-based instruction program become a PLUG project? 
>
>Actually, John, you are one of the people I was thinking about when
>I wrote that.  The best way to learn bash script basics is by doing
>it.  Perhaps we can do "script improv" night at PLUG advanced topics
>(this would actually be remedial advanced topics) where folks bring
>in some small tasks they want to automate and we automate them.  
>
>Two easy ways to get started with scripting, though.  

I won't do those things. There is not enough motivation to do it unless I need
to get something done. 

You are 100% correct that "the best way to learn bash script basics [or
anything else on the computer] is by doing it." I do have a couple very
simple scripts that I concocted for things I needed to do. I created them
mostly by copying and pasting examples suggested in forums and e-lists. But
once I got them working I was no longer interested. 

The advantage of a class is that it provides structure. I want to know
scripting, but won't get around to learning it on my own. But if I commit to a
class there is a bit of shame involved if I fail to show up, fail to do the
homework, fail to contribute in class, and so on. Everyone needs a bit of
structure like that; it's what keeps schools in business.

If we create a web-based class it would need some kind of structure too. That
may be difficult to create, and might be a good reason for abandoning the idea.

Years ago in Portland there were two main vocational schools competing for
insurance training. One was traditional live instruction and the other was
cassette tape based. The traditional school had a continual dropout rate of
~20%. The tape school's dropout rate was always over 80%. 

You can teach a little bit of scripting a tiny bit at a time with something
like an improv night, but if you want people to really learn scripting you need
something more formal.