Comments on: If You Code, You Should Write http://www.protocolostomy.com/2009/09/09/if-you-code-you-should-write/ Made with only the finest 1's and 0's Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:20:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: php|architect Podcast: Microphones in Bloom | php|architect http://www.protocolostomy.com/2009/09/09/if-you-code-you-should-write/comment-page-1/#comment-36183 php|architect Podcast: Microphones in Bloom | php|architect Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:04:02 +0000 http://www.protocolostomy.com/?p=624#comment-36183 [...] If You Code, You Should Write [...] [...] If You Code, You Should Write [...]

]]> By: m0j0 http://www.protocolostomy.com/2009/09/09/if-you-code-you-should-write/comment-page-1/#comment-22950 m0j0 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:36:10 +0000 http://www.protocolostomy.com/?p=624#comment-22950 @Will -- good analogy. I have also described it as being sorta like music, since I also know that a lot of the programmers I meet are also musicians. You only have so many notes, but each instrument has physical attributes that make certain patterns, styles, tonal ranges, etc. easier to exploit. I play guitar primarily, but also play bass, piano, and have played wind instruments in the past. All have different strengths and make different things possible/easy. Picking an instrument is a little like picking a language. Or vice versa :) @Will — good analogy. I have also described it as being sorta like music, since I also know that a lot of the programmers I meet are also musicians. You only have so many notes, but each instrument has physical attributes that make certain patterns, styles, tonal ranges, etc. easier to exploit. I play guitar primarily, but also play bass, piano, and have played wind instruments in the past. All have different strengths and make different things possible/easy. Picking an instrument is a little like picking a language. Or vice versa :)

]]> By: m0j0 http://www.protocolostomy.com/2009/09/09/if-you-code-you-should-write/comment-page-1/#comment-22949 m0j0 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:32:39 +0000 http://www.protocolostomy.com/?p=624#comment-22949 @Stu -- I certainly agree with your point, and it's a good one. Thanks for sharing. It would've been good to include in this piece, but what I was really trying to do was speak a bit to the objections I've heard from programmers to the act of writing. There seems to be some kind of phobia towards it amongst some subset of programmers that, from what I can tell, seems to be quite a *large* subset. I also didn't want the piece to be too long (and I tend to be long-winded). The first draft of this article had a huge section covering the different reasons programmers don't write, talking about how *editors* work, etc. I ripped it all out. If anyone wants to see that kind of thing, you can check out <a href="http://www.protocolostomy.com/2007/07/19/why-you-should-write/" rel="nofollow">this post</a>. @Stu — I certainly agree with your point, and it’s a good one. Thanks for sharing. It would’ve been good to include in this piece, but what I was really trying to do was speak a bit to the objections I’ve heard from programmers to the act of writing. There seems to be some kind of phobia towards it amongst some subset of programmers that, from what I can tell, seems to be quite a *large* subset. I also didn’t want the piece to be too long (and I tend to be long-winded). The first draft of this article had a huge section covering the different reasons programmers don’t write, talking about how *editors* work, etc. I ripped it all out. If anyone wants to see that kind of thing, you can check out this post.

]]> By: Will Hall http://www.protocolostomy.com/2009/09/09/if-you-code-you-should-write/comment-page-1/#comment-22943 Will Hall Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:25:51 +0000 http://www.protocolostomy.com/?p=624#comment-22943 I have recently (at job interviews) been describing coding a bit like chemistry wherein you have a limited amount of elements (from the peridodic table) the same as you have a limited amount of expression, however, the art is in the combination of them to achieve success (and often things do not turn out how you expected to begin with). I have recently (at job interviews) been describing coding a bit like chemistry wherein you have a limited amount of elements (from the peridodic table) the same as you have a limited amount of expression, however, the art is in the combination of them to achieve success (and often things do not turn out how you expected to begin with).

]]> By: Stuart Herbert http://www.protocolostomy.com/2009/09/09/if-you-code-you-should-write/comment-page-1/#comment-22941 Stuart Herbert Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:40:03 +0000 http://www.protocolostomy.com/?p=624#comment-22941 I'd argue what you're really advocating is a more general principle ... there comes a point in any individual's development in any art or skill where they need to be teaching in order to take the next step up in their own ability and understanding. It's not something unique to programming by any means. Best regards, Stu I’d argue what you’re really advocating is a more general principle … there comes a point in any individual’s development in any art or skill where they need to be teaching in order to take the next step up in their own ability and understanding. It’s not something unique to programming by any means.

Best regards,
Stu

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