Notes on Lecture: The Importance of Learning Programming

Introduction

• A Reddit user, CS-NL, automated a manual data verification job.
  • Worked in a department doing manual Excel data tasks.
  • Script wrote 1000+ records/day with 99.7% accuracy.
• Reflect on workplace tasks similar to this automation.

Technological Advancements

• Many tasks done manually are being automated (e.g., traffic direction, newspapers).
• Historical examples of technology replacing traditional tasks:
  • Stores for renting movies.
  • Manual newspaper delivery.
• Current inefficiencies (heavy textbooks, retyping paper forms).

Call to Action: Learn to Program

1. Programming Makes You Smarter

   • Reading analogy: programming extends cognitive abilities.
   • Solving problems with programming can lead to big solutions (e.g., streaming services).
   • Benefits: breaking down problems, iterating, troubleshooting.

2. Computers Are Advancing Quickly

   • Moore’s Law: computing power doubles every two years.
   • Future: $1000 computers with human brain power by 2025.
   • Present: Raspberry Pi, $25 credit-card sized computer.

3. Laziness and Efficiency

   • Programmers are inherently lazy but innovative.
   • Initial learning curve seems wasteful, but becomes efficient.
   • Once proficient, programming solutions become faster than manual efforts.

Practical Application

• Use programming skills to improve current work tasks.
• Focus on bringing programming skills to traditional expertise areas.

Resources for Learning Programming

• Online resources: Google, personal website with favorite resources.

Conclusion

• Quote by Henry Ford: "If you have a difficult task, give it to a lazy man; he’ll find an easier way to do it."