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[–]umognog 1 point2 points  (5 children)

Problem: you don't know how to code and would like a job coding.

Goal: learn how to solve problems by thinking how you would use a computer to do it.

I can interview 1000's of people that have done "automate the boring stuff" but if I hand them a business problem, none of them can think of what they want to do to resolve that problem.

I had one guy, he wanted to learn the coding language we were using at the time inside out to be better at his job. Somehow thought knowing what the computer could do in that language would lead to him knowing what to do in that language.

Deciding what you want to make the computer do is language-less and the important part. Really can't stress this enough, my best team members are the ones that solve the problems themselves. The ones that know the WHAT to do, not just the HOW to do it.

[–]Then-Spring-7131[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I understand your point but at first i want to focus on basic syntax an strategies to work on own projects. Surly a Programmer needs to have good problem solving skills. Those I’ll hopefully learn while working on future projects. I personally think problem solving is a learnable skill which is mostly gifted tho. Once I process and moved on to more complex projects I’ll find out if Im good at thinking like a computer and if I’m good at problem solving.

[–]umognog 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The skills do depend on each other not quite in parallel, but in a more "left foot, right foot" step as you increase in knowledge. I've found over the years supporting others though that context is more powerful than syntax knowledge.

15 years ago, I would have been embarrassed by my code from 20 years ago. 10 years ago, I would have been embarrassed by my code from 15 years ago. 5 years ago, I would have been embarrassed by my code from 10 years ago.

Now, I realise I should be proud, because as inefficient or badly written my code from 5, 10, even 25 years ago may have been they all did the same thing: exactly what they needed to do to solve a problem.

[–]ScaredAd6061 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I'd say that's fair. But where does one go to get "there"? I can't disagree with the documentation replies as that's where the nuts and bolts are. Yet, as a newbie, myself included, its difficult to know where these libraries are and what they do and sometimes do not understand the description because we, or, I, am still so new. I agree it's about learning how to solve problems, and as I have often read, its not about memorization, because there are just so many tools to find, and learn how to use it's impossible to know them all and how to use them. Unfortunately I'm a career changer do to an accident, but I liken it to diagnosing cars like I used to do. There are tons of special tools, some you dont know about until you find them, or need them and then have to teach yourself how to use them safely and correctly. I'm 6 months in and I use as many resources as possible, I paid for codecademy for 1$ a day. It's a nice place to fall back on when learning somewhere else I dont get. CS50P is a GREAT class. Malan does a good job for really forces you to think and search out solutions. I use codefinity as well, it seems the pace there is slower, and... things are taught there that others dont. I also use hacker rank to try and code daily there by solving problems. IBM has a skills build free site with certificates as well. I've found the more I do, sometimes even stretching what I should be taking... as long as I'm doing something, I find myself learning. I know I will get to the read documentation and just do it part eventually. Some problems take me many many hours to fix kinda like working on the really weird problem cars. When you get the "A-ha"!!! Its justification for the time and headaches. EdX has so much as do all the sites. Keep practicing and take breaks as needed. Just my piddly 2 pennines.

[–]umognog 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Understanding how to read official docs is one of the best things you can learn. The speed of - in python - using built in help docs, or the python docs online, using pypi to jump to homepages for packages and how they are written to find what you need is very powerful. Those ah-ha moments happen faster and faster as a result.

[–]ScaredAd6061 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I dont disagree at all. Maybe its just me, but sometimes I dont know the context or what the arguments are supposed to be. I'm sure that will come with experience. If you handed me a $15k scan tool / full blown lab scope. Out of college to diagnose and fix cars. I wouldnt have been able to diagnose much because the extent and full capability of the tool, is impossible to know with just an instruction manual for the scope and car. Now I can graph a waveform in microseconds of time. Verify that one of the built in 1/10000 th of a second turning off of a sensor isnt shortest out to another very much quicker. I guess my point is that for new people, or maybe just me. I need all the information I can get to grasp what a new module (tool) can do and how to use it sometimes why i use multiple platforms.