The article argues that people should not learn to code but should understand "the logical underpinnings to coding, the way conditional clauses work and the cyclical way in which systems are constructed."<p>That seems to imply that we should teach things like if/while/for constructs , but do so without teaching an actual programming language? This seems like an odd statement.<p>Not sure I agree with car engine analogy either, it's far easier to outsource all of the mechanical work for your car than it is to outsource all computer maintenance tasks. For example a car user is not expected to be able to install third party parts to their own car and most car owners have no need to do this. However we do expect users to be able to choose and install software on their own computers.
I love how the article mocks the President's suggestion, while offering the lame "learn math" as an alternative.<p>He didn't say "everyone go out and become a programmer". He's using his bully pulpit to inspire kids to explore the deeper side of computing, beyond video games, etc.<p>In my personal case, my dad and my uncle both encouraged me to get involved in technology via programming. I learned about data structures and basic programming by inputing BASIC programs when I was 6 or 7 and learned about things like memory management playing games on my aging PC XT in the early 90s.<p>I ended up a infrastructure guy, not a programmer, but that exposure was personally inspiring to me. The President almost certainly inspired a few thousand kids to take a look at programming.
Another way to put it that my friend Ben stated today:
"Not like saying everyone should be a neurosurgeon, but that all should learn first aid."<p>So True.
Bravo.<p>Okay... I got fooled. I clicked on this link bait because I read it quickly and thought, hey it's from Wired and they're somewhat reputable in the topics I follow. Oops, nope, it's the Wire.<p>Well, you got me "thewire.com." You got my impressions with your poorly written, straw-man argument. You got my attention writing things like "plugging hot career" and "blowing air" to instill some sort of emotional response. You even got me going back to this horrible article so I can accurately quote your hyperbole in this HN comment.<p>Bravo. Now let's downvote this so we can stop sending them traffic.
The reason why people don't understand the value of coding is the fact that they think it's one of the many skills you can learn in life, just as nursing, knowing how to do heart-surgery, playing soccer and so forth.<p>However, learning how to do code teaches you problem solving and it does so by teaching how to break down things. This is the MOST important skill in life. That's why coding encompasses ALL the other skills, because if you know how to code you can learn anything else, heart surgery, physics, biomedicine, a summer sault, save money etc.<p>You can also learn how to break down things through studying something technical such as Bio Engineering, Physics or Math, however these academic studies are hard and not for everyone! In turn, coding is simply the best way to learn problem solving, because it shows you results immediately and everyone can learn it.<p>With everything else you can BS your way through, not with coding.<p>Now, there is one thing that coding doesn't teach you necessarily. It doesn't teach you is how to connect with people, how to make friends, how to excite people or how to . If you are a really curious person, it also teaches you that, because the study of social dynamics/how people communicate is also all based on logic and breaking down things. However, it takes a while to learn that.
Every analogy that I have heard including the car one in the article totally misses the point.<p>If you know nothing about cars and your mechanic is out to screw you, your losses are pretty limited to the value of your car.<p>A company that I do side work for is out $250,000 from an IT project gone bad from a previous consultant. If he knew literally anything about coding, he would've spotted the tell-tale signs of a sheister early on and perhaps saved himself a quarter million dollars.<p>I don't know of a downside to kids learning basic coding. If they don't like it, don't do it anymore. But at least they'll have a baseline knowledge of it. I learned how to cook french toast and sew in home economics in school and I don't recall at the time articles like this saying how it's not necessary.
This sort of article represents the lameness of the 2013/2014 web today.<p>Step 1: Celebrity/famous person/politician makes a bold statement<p>Step 2: 50 bloggers simultaneously come up with an article titled "Why x is not true". They then write the content around the headline. First one to publish "wins"<p>It's predictable, really - and perhaps even more so on HN. HN's is often like this:<p>Step 1: A post makes a bold statement or question in the headline and gets 100+ upvotes<p>Step 2: 5 bloggers simultaneously come up with an article titled "Why x is not true". They then write the content around the headline. First one to publish "wins"<p>Tedium. We've become someone's audience.
I read the president's suggestion as "everyone should learn how to think". If he said those exact words, I'm sure someone would still take exception to it.<p>Personally, I think it's just as effective to buy every child a chess set.
Learning to code is the new State standardized testing. A checkbox occupation educators can tick while students mindlessly run through the motions.<p>Everyone needs to learn to <i>think</i> and <i>create</i>. For that coding is a great option, but not necessarily better than any other hands-on art or science. Having fun and being able to express yourself and explore your ideas is the most important part.
There's probably a middle way here....How about "Everyone who wants to code should learn how to code?" That sounds about right, and hey, it's exactly how it already is!<p>I'm kind of torn on this because I know that a lot of people just don't have any interest in coding. Their natural aptitude flows in a completely opposite direction, they enjoy things that I could never enjoy, and I don't see why I should be forcing them to code just as they would never force me to do what they like. On the other hand pretty much everything is going to be software in a very short amount of time, and those people are going to have a hard time of it if they don't learn to code at least a basic level so they know <i>something</i> about what's going on. Does that make coding as fundamental as reading? Possibly.<p>I think some sort of remedial coding should be a requirement in high school until the student meets a reasonable standard of ability, and then they should be let off the hook to be allowed to do what actually interests them.
>I know how to code;<p>Please elaborate. You can write some html? You've done hello world in JS? Mastered the basic constructs? Or have you worked on teams writing in strongly typed languages developing large OO systems? Somehow I doubt it.<p>It's important because the phrase is being used to imply a position of authority while telling people they shouldn't learn something.
I was getting into a discussion on Twitter about the whole learn to code meme, and then one guy says:<p>"In the future, I want my mom to tell a robot to get 3 tomatoes, and if they have apples, get 5"<p>Although, I'm still not 100% convinced that learning to code is of any benefit to someone not working in the technical field, but I have to admit: touché.
Just like not everyone needs to learn Math, Biology, Chemistry, and everything else.<p>But they are important to teach children how the world operates and to make them think.<p>Computers are becoming more and more ubiquitous. The web is hostile. The best way we can protect people is by educating them.
When I'm on my laptop, and in the event when I'm not doing any programming work (e.g. making music, viewing photos etc.), I use the terminal to carry out almost any task. Moving files? `mv <file>`. Deleting one? `rm <file>`. Converting a collection of ogg files to mp3? `for f in *.mp3; do; ffmpeg -i "$f" "$(basename $f`)".mp3; done`. And many, many more possibilities from shell scripting.<p>So maybe, learn to write shell (or batch scripts). JavaScript and Python--in my experience--doesn't help me handle my day-to-day tasks.
Let's see Obama hire a programmer for CTO instead of some Harvard economics grad who has only learned: (i) to be the recipient of privilege and (ii) to justify the unfair system that gives him that privilege
Geeks are so ... childish.<p>Politicians say lots of things. He did not mean it. He must already forgot what he said.<p>What is more important to him is those things he will never tell you.<p>Don't waste your time on this.