On 07/01/2012 17:29, Pall Thayer wrote:
> I will also be happy to answer any coding questions that these new
> recruits may post to the list.
Well thanks Pall!

I just had my first hour's lesson. And it made my brain feel old. And 
reminded me that my slapdash nature caused me trouble last time I made 
any real effort to learn code (php).
I can solve the little puzzles (it teaches by setting growing variations 
and arrangements of problems) but the patterns don't stick. I guess its 
like learning music- practice, practice, practice. Wish you could learn 
to code by playing the violin or by singing.

: )
R
>
> I agree with Rob that learning some coding will help people gain more
> control over their use of technology. That being said, JavaScript
> isn't really going to get people far with this goal in mind. It is
> however a good introduction to coding principles. I would recommend
> Perl, Python or Ruby to those that want to make their existing
> computers "do more their way". PHP can also be used for local scripts.
> These languages all have their ups and downs.
>
> Ps. There are systems available that will let you create phone apps as
> HTML5+JavaScript. For instance appMobi (http://www.appmobi.com/).
>
> On Sat, Jan 7, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Rob Myers<[email protected]>  wrote:
>> On 07/01/12 15:18, Andreas Maria Jacobs wrote:
>>> Where and how are software skills degraded from a professional craft
>>> to a hobby 'free' time occupation?
>> There are two reasons why I suggest people on Netbehaviour learn to
>> program using these resources. Neither is so they can get jobs as code
>> monkeys.
>>
>> The first is so that they can get a feel for how code works. So they can
>> gain an insight into how the software they use every day, and that
>> affects their entire lives, works. This is important for thinking
>> critically and realistically about software.
>>
>> The second is so that they can use code as a tool to achieve their own
>> ends using software, less constrained by the fixed affordances of
>> applications and web sites. Data visualisation, digital humanities
>> techniques and web scripting are all useful ways of doing things with
>> software.
>>
>>> What are the benefits from it when being outsourced and jobless?
>> Software should not be an economic end in itself. It is a tool for
>> achieving other ends. This is its benefit to artists and activists and
>> academics, not that they might be able to make a living by writing code
>> for multinationals.
>>
>>> The naivity - also expressed in this list - surrounding software
>>> practices is astonishing
>> We don't leave culture to the culture industry or sex to the sex
>> industry. We shouldn't leave software to the software industry.
>>
>> - Rob.
>> _______________________________________________
>> NetBehaviour mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
>
>

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