Code & Quotes
To me coding is as much technical as it is an art. We have been learning this ability to draw and create things with words and statements. Programming, being a powerful tool has always inspired me to look at the logic of how we can describe it through statements in the real world. So here I have wrote down 6 programming quotes that resonate with my journey of learning in this field.
“Simplicity is the soul of efficiency “ ~ Austin Freeman
Time and Time again we have heard the programming phrases like “DRY”, “WET” and also to comment and make your code as readable as possible. Programming in its essence is a bunch of directions broken down in order to have this one outcome. Programming is simple, as we write more and more code , then and only then is where it now can seem to be more complex. At the root of it all though we want to teach ourselves how to make the process of how we write code easier. We need to always make sure we are doing things like writing helper methods to help complete more complex tasks, we need to be writing code that can also be used in many places of our program if need be, and we should also be able to write code so simple , that’s it’s easy to explain to someone through just looking at it, or even through some small set of comments.
“First solve the problem, then write the code” ~ John Johnson
This is one problem that I know plagues me. So often do I want to look at a set of instructions or directions and just dive into code. So often I Also find myself at a standstill…..in the middle of writing my code…thinking of what to do next. It could ALL be so simple. Planning out how you will code is such a tremendous skill that most of us take for granted. It’s the rough draft to your final draft, it also helps you see a problem thoroughly from start to finish.
“If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission” ~ Grace Hopper
This quote to me speaks on how important it is to start something. It’s so easy to get tied up on so many things and have so many excuses before something even manifests itself. In programming you are going to make mistakes. It is more productive to try and fail often than to just not try anything. The repercussion of writing more code….. Is that you will have to probably write more code. The solution/end is never the goal when it comes to ideas and writing code, the goal is always the beginning ….A.K.A just start.
“One of the best programming skills you can have is knowing when to walk away for a while” ~ Oscar Godson
Coding is hard, especially when being introduced to new concepts. So often I have struggled with the understanding of something, spending a mountain of time just looking at one statement to make no progress. Walking away from your code IS A SKILL!. Everything needs rest. Your body, your mind, your eyes, and yes…. Even your code! Chances are once you get your synapses sparking in your mind, then and only then WHILE being away from your code will something start to make sense. Engineering is mental and physical. We need to understand that these are resources that can be drained and have to be replenished. Work on your code with as much conviction as taking a break from it.
“As a software developer I envy writers, musicians, and filmmakers. Unlike software when they create something, it is really done, forever “ ~Moxie Marlinspike
Learning about concepts like “Persistence” makes it seem like data just sits and is there forever. To an extent that is true…. At the same time data is made to be manipulated, read, created over and over and yes even sometimes destroyed. It is an art unlike a regular art, except the canvas we paint we just repaint….over…..and over….and over, but the goal is to never get it perfect. We just need to make art for for the time being for the purpose it needs to serve.
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” ~ Shunryu Suzuki
Out of all quotes I feel like this one resonates with me the most. As a person diving into this new field of code i realize the importance of always knowing this feeling that I am experiencing. Feeling lost, uncertain of what this code may do, but still feeling determined enough to just make things work. In my eyes there is an infinite amount of possibilities that I want to be able to create with code. To be an expert can sometimes be a bad thing. Yes you can be very knowledgeable, but how hungry is your spirit to know more about code if you feel like you have attained enough knowledge? In programs they teach you about iterators. I feel like it’s important to maintain a mindset of iterating over everything you have learned in this field, but always “++” on everything no matter the memory length.
