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  3. When you learned how to really write code?

When you learned how to really write code?

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  • P programmervb netc

    I thought that I learned alot in school but I think I learned more in the first month working than I learned all through school. I have gone back to school since I started working and noticed that I still don't get as much from it. I think that this is partly because unless I am using a language to accomplish a real task...like a project for work. I will learn the syntax but not feel like I have learned anything until I do a real project. So my question is when did you learn how to write code. Personally in school I learned logic,logic,logic..... and a little syntax but did not learn to do anything near production code until I was in a sink or swim situation. Also in my school we did not use many of the things that are very heavily utilized in a work environment. For example I had never used source control, I had classes in SQL and DB management but not nearly enough classes, had never heard of bug tracking and did not know what a database connector was used for. The most involved of a SQL statement written in school was like SELECT SomeField, NextField FROM tableName WHERE SomeField > 2 Now it is not uncommon for me to write a SQL statement that is 20 lines of code and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code. What should schools really be teaching...?? Humble Programmer

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    AspDotNetDev
    wrote on last edited by
    #12

    I learn by doing, coming across problems, finding solutions, then presenting that solution so that others may learn from me (e.g., JOIN Instead of Repeating a Subquery). Teaching others can be a very effective way of learning... all that pressure to explain something in a short amount of time and to be able to answer questions can really push you to hone your abilities.

    [Forum Guidelines]

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    • P programmervb netc

      I thought that I learned alot in school but I think I learned more in the first month working than I learned all through school. I have gone back to school since I started working and noticed that I still don't get as much from it. I think that this is partly because unless I am using a language to accomplish a real task...like a project for work. I will learn the syntax but not feel like I have learned anything until I do a real project. So my question is when did you learn how to write code. Personally in school I learned logic,logic,logic..... and a little syntax but did not learn to do anything near production code until I was in a sink or swim situation. Also in my school we did not use many of the things that are very heavily utilized in a work environment. For example I had never used source control, I had classes in SQL and DB management but not nearly enough classes, had never heard of bug tracking and did not know what a database connector was used for. The most involved of a SQL statement written in school was like SELECT SomeField, NextField FROM tableName WHERE SomeField > 2 Now it is not uncommon for me to write a SQL statement that is 20 lines of code and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code. What should schools really be teaching...?? Humble Programmer

      L Offline
      L Offline
      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #13

      I've been programming professionally for 33 years - and I still learn something almost every day. The day I think I know it all is the day I'll stop programming.

      ___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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      • P programmervb netc

        I thought that I learned alot in school but I think I learned more in the first month working than I learned all through school. I have gone back to school since I started working and noticed that I still don't get as much from it. I think that this is partly because unless I am using a language to accomplish a real task...like a project for work. I will learn the syntax but not feel like I have learned anything until I do a real project. So my question is when did you learn how to write code. Personally in school I learned logic,logic,logic..... and a little syntax but did not learn to do anything near production code until I was in a sink or swim situation. Also in my school we did not use many of the things that are very heavily utilized in a work environment. For example I had never used source control, I had classes in SQL and DB management but not nearly enough classes, had never heard of bug tracking and did not know what a database connector was used for. The most involved of a SQL statement written in school was like SELECT SomeField, NextField FROM tableName WHERE SomeField > 2 Now it is not uncommon for me to write a SQL statement that is 20 lines of code and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code. What should schools really be teaching...?? Humble Programmer

        R Offline
        R Offline
        Roger Wright
        wrote on last edited by
        #14

        The university tried to teach me FORTRAN, but I beat them to it, having found a book in the library on FORTRAN II before I started college. They taught me facts - math, physics, chemistry, electronics - but applying them in a logical, efficient manner I taught myself. When my employer asked me to program a new system, I asked, "what language and OS this time?" Then I taught myself both and got to work. Schools should teach a language or two, if only to get students used to debugging their own errors. But that should not be their primary focus; a language is just a tool, not a career choice. A focus on the basics - data structures, algorithms, problem definition and scoping, writing lucid requirements - should be fundamental. Languages change; the basics are eternal.

        Will Rogers never met me.

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        • P programmervb netc

          I thought that I learned alot in school but I think I learned more in the first month working than I learned all through school. I have gone back to school since I started working and noticed that I still don't get as much from it. I think that this is partly because unless I am using a language to accomplish a real task...like a project for work. I will learn the syntax but not feel like I have learned anything until I do a real project. So my question is when did you learn how to write code. Personally in school I learned logic,logic,logic..... and a little syntax but did not learn to do anything near production code until I was in a sink or swim situation. Also in my school we did not use many of the things that are very heavily utilized in a work environment. For example I had never used source control, I had classes in SQL and DB management but not nearly enough classes, had never heard of bug tracking and did not know what a database connector was used for. The most involved of a SQL statement written in school was like SELECT SomeField, NextField FROM tableName WHERE SomeField > 2 Now it is not uncommon for me to write a SQL statement that is 20 lines of code and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code. What should schools really be teaching...?? Humble Programmer

          S Offline
          S Offline
          Sushant Joshi
          wrote on last edited by
          #15

          I feel I learn something when I am stuck up at some point. That's the point where Old and best friend (Google) comes into picture and I tend to explore something new (new for me!) :) School did teach me few things which I could apply, however, sometimes, I really think that most of the things I learned during my graduation in University (or even earlier), we never apply or do not get scope to apply them :(

          Sucess is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

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          • L Lost User

            I've been programming professionally for 33 years - and I still learn something almost every day. The day I think I know it all is the day I'll stop programming.

            ___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

            S Offline
            S Offline
            Sushant Joshi
            wrote on last edited by
            #16

            Good one .. :)

            Sucess is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

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            • H HimanshuJoshi

              programmervb.netc++ wrote:

              So my question is when did you learn how to write code.

              I was programmed with programming programmed in :rolleyes:

              Place for Indians to hang out

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              Sushant Joshi
              wrote on last edited by
              #17

              too much of programming :laugh: ;)

              Sucess is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

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              • P programmervb netc

                I thought that I learned alot in school but I think I learned more in the first month working than I learned all through school. I have gone back to school since I started working and noticed that I still don't get as much from it. I think that this is partly because unless I am using a language to accomplish a real task...like a project for work. I will learn the syntax but not feel like I have learned anything until I do a real project. So my question is when did you learn how to write code. Personally in school I learned logic,logic,logic..... and a little syntax but did not learn to do anything near production code until I was in a sink or swim situation. Also in my school we did not use many of the things that are very heavily utilized in a work environment. For example I had never used source control, I had classes in SQL and DB management but not nearly enough classes, had never heard of bug tracking and did not know what a database connector was used for. The most involved of a SQL statement written in school was like SELECT SomeField, NextField FROM tableName WHERE SomeField > 2 Now it is not uncommon for me to write a SQL statement that is 20 lines of code and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code. What should schools really be teaching...?? Humble Programmer

                R Offline
                R Offline
                Rage
                wrote on last edited by
                #18

                programmervb.netc++ wrote:

                For example I had never used source control,

                programmervb.netc++ wrote:

                had never heard of bug tracking

                That is presently why I am giving config management courses in engineering schools.

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                • P programmervb netc

                  I thought that I learned alot in school but I think I learned more in the first month working than I learned all through school. I have gone back to school since I started working and noticed that I still don't get as much from it. I think that this is partly because unless I am using a language to accomplish a real task...like a project for work. I will learn the syntax but not feel like I have learned anything until I do a real project. So my question is when did you learn how to write code. Personally in school I learned logic,logic,logic..... and a little syntax but did not learn to do anything near production code until I was in a sink or swim situation. Also in my school we did not use many of the things that are very heavily utilized in a work environment. For example I had never used source control, I had classes in SQL and DB management but not nearly enough classes, had never heard of bug tracking and did not know what a database connector was used for. The most involved of a SQL statement written in school was like SELECT SomeField, NextField FROM tableName WHERE SomeField > 2 Now it is not uncommon for me to write a SQL statement that is 20 lines of code and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code. What should schools really be teaching...?? Humble Programmer

                  S Offline
                  S Offline
                  Slacker007
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #19

                  programmervb.netc++ wrote:

                  until I was in a sink or swim situation.

                  IMHO, this is the only time when you truly learn something; doesn't matter if it is programming or something else. When your ass is on the line (food, bills, kids, etc...) you will find that you will do amazing things...school can't prepare you for that...nothing can.

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                  • M Mustafa Ismail Mustafa

                    I wouldn't say that the database normalization is the problem (it might be, I wouldn't be able to tell without more info, not that I'm asking for any), but 200 lines? Do you know what sort of hell you'll put the person debugging or altering this in? Use the unix philosophy in this case: "Write programs that do one thing and do it well". I would have broken that into several scriptlets. But hey, who am I to judge different programming styles?

                    If the post was helpful, please vote, eh! Current activities: Playing Star Craft II. Don't bother me, eh? Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]?

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                    P Offline
                    programmervb netc
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #20

                    I know what you mean but to populate one document we just have to join alot of tables and that document has a ton of information on it and it can be many pages. Humble Programmer

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                    • L Lost User

                      I've been programming professionally for 33 years - and I still learn something almost every day. The day I think I know it all is the day I'll stop programming.

                      ___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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                      P Offline
                      programmervb netc
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #21

                      Agreed I learn all the time but my real question is did you have the feeling when you started that you really did not know what you were doing but then after doing work for a few years you feel fairly confident about your skills. Humble Programmer

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                      • R Roger Wright

                        The university tried to teach me FORTRAN, but I beat them to it, having found a book in the library on FORTRAN II before I started college. They taught me facts - math, physics, chemistry, electronics - but applying them in a logical, efficient manner I taught myself. When my employer asked me to program a new system, I asked, "what language and OS this time?" Then I taught myself both and got to work. Schools should teach a language or two, if only to get students used to debugging their own errors. But that should not be their primary focus; a language is just a tool, not a career choice. A focus on the basics - data structures, algorithms, problem definition and scoping, writing lucid requirements - should be fundamental. Languages change; the basics are eternal.

                        Will Rogers never met me.

                        P Offline
                        P Offline
                        programmervb netc
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #22

                        I agree language is not very important it is logic and fundamental things that you will always use. Humble Programmer

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                        • R Rage

                          programmervb.netc++ wrote:

                          For example I had never used source control,

                          programmervb.netc++ wrote:

                          had never heard of bug tracking

                          That is presently why I am giving config management courses in engineering schools.

                          P Offline
                          P Offline
                          programmervb netc
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #23

                          That sounds promising and progressive considering what many schools teach. Humble Programmer

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                          • D Dave Kreskowiak

                            programmervb.netc++ wrote:

                            and have a few statements that are near 200 lines of code.

                            If you have to have a function/stored procedure that long, you REALLY need to look into breaking it into smaller pieces. Your definitely overlooking some opportunities to divide the problem up there.

                            A guide to posting questions on CodeProject[^]
                            Dave Kreskowiak

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                            programmervb netc
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #24

                            I know the post is huge but that is what we are talking about so.... I went ahead and posted it in the DB forum. http://www.codeproject.com/Messages/3609635/Query-Improvement-Related-to-Lounge-Post.aspx[^] Any suggestions are welcome. Humble Programmer

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                            • P programmervb netc

                              Agreed I learn all the time but my real question is did you have the feeling when you started that you really did not know what you were doing but then after doing work for a few years you feel fairly confident about your skills. Humble Programmer

                              L Offline
                              L Offline
                              Lost User
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #25

                              Hmmm - a long time ago to actually remember! I think after my first year I was confident enough in my programming abilities to stand up and be counted. I subsequently spent a LOT of time doing research (for example, I actually read through the COBOL manuals, and the OS manuals and learned loads of bits and pieces, which I could then incorporate into my software) The more I read, and experimented, the more I grew in confidence. If there was a Eureka moment it was when I started doing training - both for users and other developers. Having to explain things to others achieved two things; it made me double-check my knowledge, and it made me realise that I really did know more about software development than pretty much anyone else in the company.

                              ___________________________________________ .\\axxx (That's an 'M')

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