Skotty
11/2/2006 7:41:00 PM
That was the most amusing email I've read all day. Thank you, that made me
feel about 300 times more confident.
Naturally I think a major part of my problem is I'm trying TOO hard to
become a programmer and not enough time focusing on the basics. I've read
several other pieces of code, and scripts and thought "well hey i can do
that." which I guess is probably not the best way to go about it.
I AM learning, I mean I guess at least a little bit. But it feels like it's
taking me a really long time to retain.
Well thanks for the welcome, I'm sure I'll get it Im just frustrated that
I'm not getting it right away.
Skt
Webpage (www.freewebs.com/scottygiveshighfives)
Email: Shyguyfrenzy@gmail.com
(That's a mario reference.)
You sing a new song, unsung.
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Edward Gray II" <james@grayproductions.net>
To: "ruby-talk ML" <ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: Just a question to throw out there...
> On Nov 2, 2006, at 12:23 PM, Skotty wrote:
>
>> Another noobrube question.
>>
>> Is this the "easiest" language to learn? I'm well aware that none of
>> these programming languages are "easy" but I've been struggling with
>> this for a while and don't want to give up.
>>
>> Or is there something else I should know first BEFORE going to Ruby?
>> Why's guide is a biggggg help but I don't know why I can't retain this
>> information.
>>
>> Any help guides?
>> Anything?
>
> There was a fun side conversation on this at RubyConf this year.
> Basically, you need to know this: Computers are really, really stupid.
> ;)
>
> Don't buy that? Try this exercise:
>
> Make up a random number.
>
> You had no trouble doing that, right? Well congratulations, because you
> just leap ahead of about 30 years of computer research in a few seconds.
> ;)
>
> Obviously, I'm being flippant here, but the point stands. Learning to
> program is hard because you need to dumb yourself down to the level of
> the machine and express problems in terms it can understand.
>
> Did you ever play that game in school where you had to tell your teacher
> how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? You write up what you
> just know are excellent instructions and as you read them the teacher
> makes a mess all over the place, spreading jelly on unopened bread
> packages, table-tops, and other children, just by following the
> instructions literally. The teacher is simulating a computer here.
>
> In the RubyConf discussion we decided that our popular books and
> tutorials don't always do a very good job of teaching you how to think
> like that. Therein lies at least one hurdle of learning to program.
>
> Here's another interesting point: most of us who have been speaking to
> machines for a reasonable period of time can pick up new languages pretty
> easily. The reason is that we already have a lot of practice with the
> thinking-dumb part and we just need to learn the new syntax. (Our books
> and tutorials *are* good at teaching this.)
>
> Anyway, the point of all this is: don't panic. We all go through this
> adjustment period you're in now. It gets easier. The problem is that
> you're just way too intelligent. Don't worry though, we'll have you
> dumbed down in no time! :D
>
> Welcome to programming.
>
> James Edward Gray II
>
>