I hesitate to insert a stereo-typical note into the conversation, but I think you may find this interesting
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CmYDgncMhXw The 'hero' is going to take to programming like a duck to water. Those of us who have 'The Knack' know it ... and can recognise it in those of our grandchildren who share it rgds Alex. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paola Kathuria Sent: 02 July 2007 18:46 To: PPIG Discussion List Subject: Re: PPIG discuss: Programmer education argument-starter of the week Mark Guzdial wrote: > What motivates > someone to pick up programming without any previous background (and > without, presumably, any desire to make it a profession)? I clearly remember why I wanted to learning to program, being stumped when I started and the "aha!" moment when I got it. When I was 18, I had a feeling I would like (and be good at) smoking, programming and shooting guns. In my final year of my psychology degree, programming was one of the offered options and I jumped at it. We were taught BASIC and I remember staring miserably at a slide with: LET A = A + 1 I was flumoxed, thinking that it made no sense at all. My "aha!" was when I realised that, although the 'A's looked exactly the same (which rendered the statement meaningless), the A on the left was actually the 'A' in the future. In contrast, I did badly on my physics 'A' level because I got stumped frequently in class but was too shy to ask for help. Soon, there's nowhere meaningful (in one's head) to store the continual incoming new information and it all becomes gobbledeegook. Paola -- http://www.paolability.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PPIG Discuss List (discuss@ppig.org) Discuss admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/discuss Announce admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/announce PPIG Discuss archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40ppig.org/ ____ This message and any files transmitted with it are legally privileged and intended for the sole use of the individual(s) or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender by reply and delete the message and any attachments from your system. Any unauthorised use or disclosure of the content of this message is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Nothing in this e-mail message amounts to a contractual or legal commitment on the part of EUROCONTROL, unless it is confirmed by appropriately signed hard copy. Any views expressed in this message are those of the sender. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PPIG Discuss List (discuss@ppig.org) Discuss admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/discuss Announce admin: http://limitlessmail.net/mailman/listinfo/announce PPIG Discuss archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss%40ppig.org/
