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The Importance of Learning Programming

Sep 19, 2024

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."