A question about HTC (the guy, not the company)

[hitech]

I assume that computer programming requires a great attention to detail; a misspelled word, command, variable, whatever will totally pork the code, right?

I pondered this more last night. I have a feeling that very detailed people do not code very well. The reason I think this is because the details only come at the very end of the process as you are actually typing. I have seen people who wanted to learn coding and many times they let the details get in the way of solving the problem. These people tend to remember all the details, but they see so many details they can not see the whole picture only each brush stroke.

The other possibility I can think of is that the process of design is a learned mechanism of  being able to ignore details and switch levels of thinking as your mind goes up and down the tree.

HiTech

[frank3]

So is the word 'coad' invented by you then, HT?

[Shuffler]

I pondered this more last night. I have a feeling that very detailed people do not code very well. The reason I think this is because the details only come at the very end of the process as you are actually typing. I have seen people who wanted to learn coding and many times they let the details get in the way of solving the problem. These people tend to remember all the details, but they see so many details they can not see the whole picture only each brush stroke.

The other possibility I can think of is that the process of design is a learned mechanism of  being able to ignore details and switch levels of thinking as your mind goes up and down the tree.

HiTech

Now I must say..... "THAT was well said!"

[Cajunn]

First as  Note , the company is HiTech Creations, I am HiTech or HT, not HTC. HiTech was a nick name given to me right out of collage.

The simple fact is there is something in my brain that will not work backwards. I can view a word ,close my eyes and not be able to reproduce that word in 5 secs. This was always a huge obstacle for me, I have no idea if teaching spelling is still the same as it used to be, but the weekly 20 word test required a 5 AM wake up call, followed by 3 hours of practicing the 20 words. This volume of studying would get me a passing D in spelling. Even to day a simple words like "their" I can not ( in process) garrenty ( not found in spell checker) garennty, garanty , guaranty (that was a real write for me on how much it took to write "guaranty" correctly)  you if I spell correctly or not with out a spell checker. Many times I can look at a word, know it is spelled incorrectly and not be able to spell it correctly, or even get close enough for a spell checker.

Coding is not visual but is concepts. I can pull a concept out of my head that I thought of 5 years ago and point you to the file it is in. I can take a multistage algorithms and have it all in my head just waiting to be painted on the screen in seconds.

I have no idea how brains function , I just know that spelling will never be possible for me, and has nothing to do with attention to detail. The work of coding is paying attention to detail, the gift of coding is being able to juggle many concepts, structure them in your head in a way that as things grow, you can still have an index in your head to be able to retrieve the details at almost any time.

I have now been coding for 35 years, the first time I had access to a computer in 1974 and started coding (my first program was a simple game , teletype machine stored on paper punch tape) I knew I had found my work in life.

HiTech

I have the same problem, I'm 43 and back when I was in school ADD was not a diagnosed defect in a kid. If It would have been I would of probably gotten the the special help that the Kids get today. I'm not ADHD I was ADD and I have a daughter with the same problem and they give her a little pill and she's goes from a student with a "D" average to a student with a "B" average. The problem is the brain works in a hyper mode that causes me or my daughter to focus on hundreds of different things while trying to concentrate on one. Just something like reading a book is work for me because my brain wonders and unable to soak anything in, so I can read a page and forget it as soon as I read it. So reading something like instructions is a real task and usually involves re reading it several time's to fully grasp what it's trying to explain, so you see where studying for test would be a problem.   

I'm not implying that your ADD

[Max]

Einstein couldnt tie his shoes.....

Sometimes Hitech can't FIND his shoes. 

[kilz]

Nothing wrong with my brain and i still can't spell!
999000 <S>

thats because your a numbers guy 

[Motherland]

This ended up being an extremely interesting thread!

[daddog]

The other possibility I can think of is that the process of design is a learned mechanism of  being able to ignore details and switch levels of thinking as your mind goes up and down the tree.

It is not learned. Well not wholly. You have inherited this particular skill. Not to say it can�t be learned, but some will always have a greater cognitive ability toward language, others toward logic/coding as you say. This day and age it is very likely you would have qualified for special resources Hitech, or an IEP (Individual Education Plan). I am not a special education teacher, but I deal with students who have IEP�s every year. They are tested, and the results of the testing may result in modifications for the student due to some learning disorders they may have. Many of these disorders really come to light when they reach middle school (7th and 8th grade) because of the abstract thought required for Algebra. Other problems are spotted much earlier. Frankly I think requiring Algebra for middle school is absurd, but the all wise state of California has made it a requirement. Some are just not ready cognitively.

[grizz441]

I pondered this more last night. I have a feeling that very detailed people do not code very well. The reason I think this is because the details only come at the very end of the process as you are actually typing. I have seen people who wanted to learn coding and many times they let the details get in the way of solving the problem. These people tend to remember all the details, but they see so many details they can not see the whole picture only each brush stroke.

The other possibility I can think of is that the process of design is a learned mechanism of  being able to ignore details and switch levels of thinking as your mind goes up and down the tree.

HiTech

Yeah, I can understand this.  When I took programming years ago in school, I was a very average problem solver.  It was like I had 50% of my focus on solving the problem and 50% of my focus on the actual syntax.  So I'd finish a program that ran at minimal efficiency but at least it looked nice and pretty!

[Nilsen]

I SUCK at math. Give me an X and a Y  question or any piece of math that has unknown variables or any of those symbols instead of numbers and i FAIL bad. I simply can not understand formulas no matter how hard i try but ny nugget finds a way to get to the answer.

Still.. i studied economy and finance and worked with that until the day i retired. I find the answers and whatnot to a puzzle but dont ask me how i got to it, or try to understand my reasoning... its just there.

Funny place the brain is.

[thndregg]

I'm another math dummy. However, spelling, english, music, I do very well with...

except every Friday night:---->

[Wedge1126]

The other possibility I can think of is that the process of design is a learned mechanism of  being able to ignore details and switch levels of thinking as your mind goes up and down the tree.

I think being able to fluidly shift between levels of scope in your thinking is vital for software development. Software is just too complex to take in all at once. Plus, modern IDEs take care of alot of the details these days.

[opposum]

LOL I cannot walk and swing my arms at the same time, thats why I usually put one hand in my pocket.

when I try to walk and swing my arms at the same time, I end up holding my breath and... well you get the picture       

I also cannot play basket ball because I can't dribble and run at the same time while being awear of the surroundings lol



opposum

[Ack-Ack]

ImaDot is dead on.  I can spell halfway decent, I'm not sure what AH is coaded in but I frequently screw up whatever Java or PHP I write.  HiTech displays the complete opposite of this, which is why his coding is fantastic and spelling terrible.

I am amazed how much you've been able to accomplish learning wise with that lazy eye of yours.  We just need to work on that limp of yours, maybe shave off an inch or two off that peg leg.


ack-ack

[Masherbrum]

I read that thread estes brought up from the dead and somebody had a quote in there from HiTech.  The older guys know this better than I do, but before HTC got spell check on his browser or whatever, he had the absolute worst spelling I have ever seen.  My 7 year old can spell better.

Here's the question:  I assume that computer programming requires a great attention to detail; a misspelled word, command, variable, whatever will totally pork the code, right?  So how does a guy who spells so bad manage to write complex, precise computer code?   

edit:  this is a serious question, I've always wondered about this...

He doesn't type "Code", he types "Coad", hence his avatar.   Dale's also a great to talk to in person at the Con's, unless he's having a nicotine fix.