Fluency in programming.

Started by Ryex, December 24, 2011, 02:31:30 am

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Ryex

December 24, 2011, 02:31:30 am Last Edit: December 24, 2011, 02:39:36 am by Ryex
When can you say that you are fluent in programming?

until recently I would not of dared making that claim. When I started RMPY about a year ago I was confident I could make what I wanted but there were many thing that still did not make sense to me. Now I'm fairly confident that I could make just about anything I wanted too if given the time and tools.
Now I clearly don't have a formal education so there are things that I couldn't do well. for example true efficiency could only be accomplished through time and revision/advise from a more experienced programmer.
but through my work on ARC I believe I have learned all the basics necessary to tackle any task and break it down into a system that could be made in a specified language.

I basically have the reference for whatever libraries I'm working with open perpetually when I work but I don't have to strain to understand them Like I used to. I can now read code and understand what and how it is doing what it's doing regardless of the language (though I would have to look up functions in languages or libraries I don't have experience.)

So, I consider myself a fluent if inexperienced programmer.

What are your thoughts on the question?
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winkio

Once you have that true ability to code anything you want, you are fluent.  Of course, coders of all different skill levels can be fluent, fluency is not the ceiling in terms of prowess.  You can always keep learning better efficiency, new tricks, better practice, etc.

Also, congrats :D

thephantom

From my experience being a T/A in university, I can really tell the difference people those who have the aptitude to program and those who can't.

From first hand experience, it seems that you either got it or you don't.  Those who don't got it, usually can get by but barely.  They get by through relying on other people, using code but not knowing what it does, or simply hope for the best.   These people usually use examples online or in books and copy them and just modify them every so slightly to barely do what the assignment requires.   Surprisingly they get a passing grade and move forward, but are they learning? No!

The other kind of person, those who got it, they start off maybe as the first group.  But with practice and time, and self learning, they start to get it.   I truly think programming is something you have to experience first hand.  It is not something you can be taught.  Sure someone can give you pointers and help get you started, or be there to help you troubleshoot bugs, but if you don't put in the effort to really learn it, its not going to happen.

You don't become fluent in programming until you can open up your coding environment, be it notepad, or something more complex, and feel comfortable writing your own lines of code.   Writing your own lines of code without having to see someone's example.  Without having to copy anything more than a function or method name.   That is being fluent.

To be an expert or master would then just require memorization of the various functions, methods, and libraries, and of course a better understanding of proper coding conventions.  However, I do not think memorization is key to being an expert.  There is nothing wrong with going to google and looking up the documentation for a library that you didn't create.  I mean, after all, how else would you know?

But really only you can tell your level of as a programmer. 

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Fantasist

I agree with thephantom completely (and welcome to CP :) ) Being comfortable with coding (and of course, coming up with the code yourself) is being fluent. What you said, Ryex, about implement any idea in any programming language and enviromment makes a successful programmer. It is the pinnacle of what any programmer would want to be: being able to handle code in any language and materialize ideas. Of course, that doesn't mean you should know all programming languages. The ability and confidence to tread into new territories and survive is what counts here.
Beyond that is sheer experience. Experience will teach us many little things which will make the overall procedure much more comfortable.
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