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Nairaland Forum / Science/Technology / Programming / Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers (6635 Views)
Explaining To Non-programmers How Complex Software Development Is (2) (3) (4)
Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 12:13pm On May 31, 2016 |
People Usually see Programmers as super humans with special powers to command computers. But this is not true, as every person grows in his profession through practice the same applies to a computer programmer, [Read more...] they are just people who know how to speak to computers and nothing more, But wait, let us see the ten things a programmers wants a non-programmer to know about them. 0. Programmers start counting from zero . 1. Becoming a doctor or lawyer is incredibly complicated and involves going through whole sets of regulatory gatekeepers. Programming has none of that. 2. No one is naturally talented at programming. The next time someone claims that programming is in their DNA, ask them, "What did your ancestors encounter on the savannah that gave them this very specific genetic adaptation?" 3. Programming is one of the most common jobs people have these days, and soon it will be the most common job of all. 4. A programmer is not a technician. While usually being a programmer does come with a lot of "computer knowledge", A programmer don’t know what's wrong with your printer or how to make beautiful alignments with Microsoft Word. 5. If you haven't built a sizeable project, you can't program. If you say 'I've learned programming, but can't make a program', then you haven't learned programming. The only measure of programming is the ability to make programs. 6. Very little of programming is coding. Most of the time is spent thinking, walking around, googling and talking to people to figure out the solution to a problem 7. More often than not, the difference between a good and mediocre programmer is not intelligence but practice and persistence 8. If you learn programming, it doesn't mean you can hack into people's emails and create viruses. 9. The visible part of an application is only the tip of the iceberg 10. It can be bad for your health if you're not careful (programmers sit a lot, they stare at a glowing screen all day, they type a lot). But it does retain a healthy brain because they're always solving problems. source: https://techneer./2016/05/31/ten-things-non-programmers-should-know-about-programmers/ 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by solexadex(m): 12:32pm On May 31, 2016 |
Nice piece |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 12:57pm On May 31, 2016 |
solexadex:Thank you very much. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Fulaman198(m): 5:54pm On May 31, 2016 |
I'd argue that becoming a computer scientist (which does not equate to a programmer mind you) is just as complicated as becoming a lawyer or doctor. You need to have a good understanding of Data Structures and Algorithms and be able to be a good problem solver. Anyone can pick up a programming book and learn how to programme. But not everyone is able to formulate new Algorithms to solve difficult problems. An example of this is the complexity of Google's search engine in which it incorporates a lot of predictive text or the highly advanced and innovative Google Maps. Companies like Google and Apple understand the difference between a Computer Scientist and a Programmer and often only recruit those with B.S./M.S./ or Ph.D in Computer Science/Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering from schools with strong programmes. If you want to know what I mean by being a good Computer scientist, look up Esdger Dijkstra. He formulated the shortest path algorithm often used in various fields of computing science from Computer Networking and to the GPS system in your car. 7 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 7:25pm On May 31, 2016 |
i totally disagree with number 3, you can say average or php programmers flod the market, as you would hardly find those that can write a program that can speak to hardware like thumb print scanner, face recognition app, gate opener, not to even talk of SAP ERP, IOT, Embeded systems, etc Thats why it is said that come 2o2o there will be more one million job opportunity for good developers in america, even right now in nigeria, if ur good, u cant stay idle or have only one project at hand, and with time it will not get better as many other sectors are getting automated, it calls for more programmers. 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Dmayor7(m): 7:27pm On May 31, 2016 |
ysd01: I totally concur.... I love this!!!!!! |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 8:30pm On May 31, 2016 |
Fulaman198: TRUE, knowing data structures really helps and a self-taught programmer dont care about those theories, take an instance; a memory programming project might be implemented using java by a self taught programmer who has no "know-how" of data structures but C++ will do because of the pointer feature, or still a software agent project may be implemented using C++ which has no agent support and java has, teaching your self code is not enough but knowing the industry best practices is the thing to do... computer scienctist hav an more knowledge about device infrastructure, software engineering concept, user experience, etc. that gives them a bigger value than those that kmows only code... i agree with u on that. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 8:39pm On May 31, 2016 |
Raypawer: As people who call themselves developers are increasing, number of good ones are almost not increasing at all... to be a standard developer requires time and commitment, which people don't want to sacrifice... they make unripe developers, that is why number of hackable sites are booming :-D , blv me php (the simplest prog lng i've seen), don draw plenty ppl to himself. sincerely i only respect OOP php developers procedural is old fashioned. but procedural programmers are everywhere. programmers are increasing :-D 2 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Manus17(m): 11:26pm On May 31, 2016 |
ysd01: Fulaman198: Good evening, please, what is the simplified and best data structure and algorithm book one can I get... I need to get this thing into my brain.. Thanks... |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 12:12am On Jun 01, 2016 |
Php as a whole is not secured, neither is it a language i would advise any to learn, i thank God i had a good tutor nd experienced programmers arround me that told me the truth. if u want to end as an average web programmer, stick to php, otherwise get out of that zone it has never helped and would'nt help...! ysd01: 1 Like |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 12:26am On Jun 01, 2016 |
What made you think that self taught programmers might not want to learn data structures? its wat we call Passion for Excellence. if you are self taught, its a show of passion, but the passion is questionable, was it for real or was it just for money? if it was for real you will care about Continious Delivery of Excellent Sustainable apps as data structures can't be ignored... ysd01: |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 12:45am On Jun 01, 2016 |
Thomas Cormen is the name, his book "Algorithm Unlocked" and "Introduction to Algorithm" he co-authored will help you Manus17: 2 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 8:30am On Jun 01, 2016 |
Raypawer: Am talking of the majority please. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 8:43am On Jun 01, 2016 |
Raypawer: thanks I'll get a copy and increase upon the length of my linked-list and push to my stack more ideas.... thank you I'll get the pdf. May God see us through. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 8:48am On Jun 01, 2016 |
Raypawer: I totally agree with this... I've ported to Java Server Pages already. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by cbrass(m): 12:06am On Jun 02, 2016 |
Raypawer: You are still saying the same thing ![]() |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by cbrass(m): 12:17am On Jun 02, 2016 |
ysd01: Its now I believe what they say about this NL programming section. Many of you just know how to talk that's all. Procedural or OOp doesn't change anything about the program. There is no better way to right a code,am saying this because have seen the two sides, some times we just code in a pattern because it's trending and not because its better 5 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by talk2hb1(m): 3:02am On Jun 02, 2016 |
Raypawer:Here is my Vision of the next couple of Years http://www.qlickas.com/2016/05/31/a-peep-into-the-amazing-future-of-nigeria-ict/ |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 6:26am On Jun 02, 2016 |
read number 3 post again cbrass: |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 8:39am On Jun 02, 2016 |
cbrass: Haba Bros, when you write OOP code... you can reuse it, do more with less code. e.g creating a class that needs some properties where it is already somewhere, you just INHERIT the parent class, OOP code is also modular than pp. polymorphism where you treat objects in several forms, etc. this are my reason for saying that. 1 Like |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by tosinhtml: 9:25am On Jun 02, 2016 |
ysd01: Well, i guess you shouldn't believe everything you read online. 2. For your info, people are talented in programming. In the same way that some people are 'born with a talent for basketball' because traits like height have a heritable component. According to the theory of multiple intelligences, some people are 'born with a higher IQ'. If you think that people like Linus Torvalds, James Gosling or Bjarne Stroustrup have the same IQ as normal person, then you must be joking. 3. Programming won't become the most common of all, programming is hard and stressful for a lot of people, If you gather 30 people in a class and teach them programming for 1 year, i bet you, only 5 will actually learn it and continue as a career. 25 people will stop by the way and go and do something else. I am talking from experience. 5. Whether you have built a sizeable project or not, you can still program, I clearly know of someone that only did Coding challenges and Algorithms, and he was so good. He never wrote any full sizeable project, And he his an intern in facebook now. he writes C++. Its actually hard to become a facebook intern, its like real work. You will go thru the same interview process. 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by cbrass(m): 10:48am On Jun 02, 2016 |
ysd01: Thats always their argument, that it's reuseable, well there is a way you can code in procedural that will cater for that, the only reason I like oop is the intimidating looks it gives that's all ![]() 3 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 2:31pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
tosinhtml: Okay, I get it... thanks. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by ysd01(m): 2:34pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
cbrass: ![]() ![]() ![]() 2 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Nobody: 4:33pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
Raypawer:And if you want to a high-end programmer, which language should you stick to? |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Fulaman198(m): 7:07pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
Raypawer: Are you familiar with trees? graphs? O-Notation and other Data Structure and Algorithmic topics? What about ADTs like Lists, Stacks and Maps? I don't think most self-taught programmers understand these concepts well enough that are taught in detail in Computer Science programmes. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 7:16pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
if i were to recommend any lang, that will be C if u've got a tutor, cos you'll learn the basic concepts of programming, then either C#, Java or Golang depending on what you want to create, but if you want to be self taught, you can go for any of the later, as it will help you the more. NewSheriff: |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Fulaman198(m): 7:20pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
Raypawer: I second this as well. C is the language that many programmers use to communicate with one another. Java and C# are extremely similar languages that it doesn't really matter which one chooses. If he/she is going to be developing for .net I'd say C#, if he/she is going to be developing Servlets or business-client applications, then I would say Java. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Nobody: 7:27pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
Fulaman198: I am solo and and self taught, but i understand adts quite well. [s] it is only graph that i am still battling with. [/s]... I'm now a graph semi-expert!! 2 Likes |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Fulaman198(m): 7:33pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
crotonite: That's good, I'm sure that there are some self-taught programmers that do understand these concepts quite well, but my point is that the majority do not. |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Raypawer(m): 7:42pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
U have a point but you are not right here, there are paid resources that you can learn from if you really want to learn, you see why most of the self taught programmer end up as averagees is because they really or may not want to pay to learn, they end up watching youtube videos, lynda, plurasight videos they got through shared torrent, and as far as they create something that can talk to db thats all, thats why nigerian sites are mostly insecured. Am Good with BST, SkipList still working on Graphs and Maps, Set Fulaman198: |
Re: Ten Things Non-programmers Should Know About Programmers by Nobody: 7:48pm On Jun 02, 2016 |
Fulaman198: Exactly. it was really hard 4 me to understand especially trees and linked list (traversal). but know i understand trees quite well, i dedicated a week just to learn how to implement trees. the thing hard pass concrete and still combine ![]() |
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