Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Development
by kspacewalk2 on Tuesday March 31, 2020 @09:31AM
(#22737336)
Generative work is not all created equal. Most of programming we all do is like applying physics equations in practice. A tiny portion is truly on the cutting edge, more akin to physics research.
Likewise, a lot more emails and discussion comments and school reports are written, per volume, than masterpiece books.
Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Development
by iffybookmark on Tuesday March 31, 2020 @11:52AM
(#22738753)
I'd be willing to bet that
{people who can look at a real world problem, choose an appropriate physics model, and apply the right equations, correctly}
and
{people who can look at a real world problem, choose an appropriate logical model, and apply the right language/frameworks/code, correctly}
are probably really quite similar sets.
Re:Cognitive Biases in Software Development
by gnunez on Tuesday March 31, 2020 @01:07PM
(#22739717)
I look at a coding problem and think, what problem did I or somebody else solve in the past that looks similar to this new problem? What’s different about this new problem? What’s the same? In that sense coding is more like reading, in that it is about pattern recognition and “reading the pattern”, then it is about creating something new entirely.
To elaborate on the sibling comments, coding is generative work instead of passive consumption like reading. This split becomes easier to see when looking at a bunch of domains.
Most of people can learn to read a book but very few can write a good book. Similarly, it's easier to re-tell someone else's funny joke than be creative and write original comedy.
Many people can learn basic physics equations like "f=ma" is "force equals mass times acceleration" but fewer are able to be generative and discover new physics equations that are accepted by the science community.
Most people can listen to music and appreciate it, but a smaller percentage can play instruments. And then within the set of musicians, an even smaller percentage can compose new original music. There must be something more to it than "training and practice" to explain why a 19-year old Chopin can compose sophisticated piano compositions while most 70-year old professional concert pianists that have performed for decades with more repertoire than Chopin have written no notable original music.
Coding may not be as hard as creating "Theory of General Relativity" but it's not the same as reading literacy.