Why I read Hacker News even though I understand very little of it

Sponge learning is awesome, but you must always remember to act upon it. Knowing that CoffeeScript is hot in the web dev scene is great, but in the end it amounts to little more than industry gossip.<p>True understanding comes from actually trying to do it yourself, technologies stop being buzzwords and they become tools.<p>That said, kudos to the OP for trying to Learn Python the Hard Way!

Two years ago, when I started reading HN, I was a php programmer who didn't even know what functional programming was.<p>Now most of my personal projects are written in my new favorite language, Erlang. Sponge learning <i>is</i> awesome, specially when you supplement it with lots of hard work. Thanks HN.

I have been the victim of sponge learning for many years now, HN being part of it for about a year. I can talk about a wide range of techy subjects but I've never really made or done anything to show for it. I learn bits from here and there without never going very deep. I've read through (and done most of the exercises from) K&#38;R and Dive Into Python to name a couple, yet I haven't written a project over 500 LOC.<p>I've loved technology as long as I can remember, but when it comes to my local circles I've always been alone with it. Sponge learning is great and (as the writer mentioned) it deduces the amount of unknown unknowns, but without peer encouragement or -at least- approval it's very difficult to actually do something with it.<p>My sincere respect for everyone who has done something with their passions (that includes you alexmr!)

I like Alex's concept of "sponge learning" and reducing "unknown unknowns". I've actually been doing this unconsciously for quite a while.<p>Let's say there is a debate about the best VPS provider on the HN front page. I have no need for a VPS <i>right now</i>, and I sadly don't have the time to read the whole debate. Instead, I skim the discussion, bookmark it (on pinboard) with appropriate tags, and know it will be there when I do need to choose a web host.<p>This also applies to "unknown unknowns": a month ago, I saw the discussion on CloudFare ( <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2631019" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2631019</a> ). I made a mental note that some services might actually help mitigate DDOS attacks, and made a bookmark for later use.<p>I could make an analogy with a database: I don't have enough time / memory to learn and remember everything I read on HN. Instead, I use my brain like an "index", the database being my Pinboard bookmarks. I think it's time to expand to other databases, too: I should try out EverNote or Workflowy to store free-form thoughts and other "non-bookmarkable" stuff.

What I noticed in these 847 days I've been here is that HN's comments spoiled me. I now seek the same level of discussion on other sites and most of the time find myself disappointed.

I did the exact thing with Slashdot, when I first got on the Internet in '98. And I'd read Linux Journal although much of that was over my head as well.<p>But slowly you learn, and get to know the stuff, and then it gets boring and so you check out something else you know little about. That's what happens to me.<p>I think you're on to a good strategy alex.

Hey, this is good. And it inspired the guy to go deeper into some of the subjects!<p>Sometimes, a problem is that people only go to sponge learning...and then stop. As a professor of my friend's said...people are getting better and better at being able to talk about something for five minutes...then that's it. Thanks to wikipedia, lots of people can seem smart, but not actually understand something in depth.<p>I find XKCD also to blame for part of this. If I had a dollar for every time someone made a joke about the Axiom of Choice...

Great post.<p>I have often thought about the way I learn, and it's very much 'sponge learning' (nice term BTW).<p>I am on a journey to learn Clojure, and improve my JavaScript skills. Much like the author, I read blog-posts, books, the Google groups as well as take any code samples found there and play with them in the REPL. A lot of the posts (especially some on the Google Groups) don't always make sense to me - but I hope that I will have filed it away somewhere. Maybe someday it will all come together :)<p>Again, nice post.

The most upvoted comment on the post (Martin Doms):<p>Everyone on hacker news is motivated by money. It gets old. There's a huge vibe of "I don't care about this technical mumbo jumbo any more than I have to to make a quick buck". It's VERY trendy/hipster culture there. They jump on all of the silly buzzword bandwagons and distrust tried and true technologies.<p>I'm not saying I don't read the site - some of the articles are very good. But I don't like to be around people primarily motivated by money. Those kinds of people make me very uncomfortable.

I'm right there with you. I have been an avid reader of HN for going on 2 years now. While I can't sit down and develop killer software from scratch, I am slowly learning more and more about technology and programming, and a lot of it is thanks to the great HN community.<p>I just started ready the updated edition of Learn Python The Hard way, and really enjoy it. It's the first book on programming that I have read that throws you right into the thick of things, get's you started writing code from the outset. Feel free to send me a message or email me if you want to bounce and ideas off of each other with Python or anything else, I get the impression we are both starting off on the same page. Should be a fun adventure!

Best thing about HN that it filters out crap and produces quality stuff. Just because of HN I came across two entrepreneurs who are more than helpful to guide me offline whenever I need.<p>Thanks PG and Team to give such a quality site. Now I don't visit TechCrunch etc to find out Information. HN does it for me and saves my time<p>P.S: I am already a techie but a Biz noob and HN is helping me to become an entrepreneur.

This is exactly the kind of mentality that one should develop on HN (or if they want to get anywhere in the industry). It reminds me of a recent post I read that people aren't intrinsically separated into "technical" and "non-technical" people. If you have the patience and the will, you can become competent at either. :) Read/learn on!

I did this with Reddit years ago when much of the front page was programming/computer-related. I realized it was an awesome subject, spent a lot of time trying to figure out what they were talking about, and eventually changed my major to software engineering.

I was referred to HN by a former colleague only 4 months ago. I'm the farthest from being a programmer of any sort, but I work in and around technology and he knew I was somewhat of a 'knowledge whore' aka philosopher. I like being in the know. "Sponge learning" is a great practice. I walk away from the monitor each day knowing what I don't know.<p>Thanks HN

Alex, thanks for the post. This is definitely how I read HN and the links to the learning resources has helped accelerate learning new material.

Awesome post. I am in the exact same boat as you. I read this stuff every day as inspiration and to learn more about the world of programming and computers. I am also working through python to learn my first language (chose python because of xkcd). Feel free to email me if you want to discuss difficulties or challenges with programming in python or in general.

You can certainly get part of the big picture from reading Hacker News, but if you're going to learn anything in depth, I seriously suggest taking a class. That way someone else has already done all the hard work in collecting all the material in easily digestable chunks and even gives his or her valuable time in trying to make you understand it all.

And even when you understand a lot about these technologies -- it can be a great reminder of things to dabble in and see if they fit your model of how you work. This week I jumped into using Less (a CSS tech like Sass) after noticing a post on it.<p>How happy I am -- Less (or a similar tech) is now going to be a permanent fixture in my webdev world!

Judging from the fact that he helped make twordsie, I wouldn't say he's exactly at level zero. Rather misleading.

Totally agree - I'm a complete newbie when it comes to tech but I am learning at a fast clip because of HN :)

Besides the technical stuff, the links and discussions here on HN have helped me with entrepreneurial concepts the most. It helps when really established and well known people, and people who have plentiful experience in starting, running, and marketing a business are discussing things.

this is almost exatcly how I learn. It is certainly the reason why I read hn, and associate with people who are generally much more experienced than I am (they're great friends of primarily).<p>I am still very much learning about programming in general, but the beat advice I ever got was this: just write programs any way you can, and learn what you did 'wrong'. there are always different ways to solve problems but the best way to get better is through practice.<p>its cool to see someone else (and by the comments, many others) doing the same thing I do.

I think this is why I love listening to Build and Analyze by Marco - <a href="http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze" rel="nofollow">http://5by5.tv/buildanalyze</a>

Eternal September.

It's nice to know there are more of us spongers out there, some of us don't have a blog though <i>suspicious look</i>

I think you might be happy to hear this, I'm a noob as you are and TIL that I'm "sponge learning" aswell! Thanks!

Sponge learning is very good, especially when one wants to learn new vocabulary and tech jargon.

I would class myself as an advanced user, not a developer but someone with interest and enthusiasm for technology. The main reason that I visit HN is that for me, the level of debate is higher. Far less fanboyism and trolling than most tech sites and IMHO - up there with slashdot. That's high praise for me \. is my favourite site

<i>it, definitely reduces my unknown unknowns</i>

whew, i thought it was just me

I've been reading HN for over a year even though I'm not the best developer. It simply teaches useful info about how to get things done that I would not get otherwise.<p>For instance, the case studies on starting a T-shirt company Snowpocalypse 2011 - bam! Knowledge of how to do that. Or the posts on business models in the music industry, links to Mixergy, et cetra, et cetra.<p>HN basically is extremely entertaining - and the most valuable business site I read.

It is interesting how synonymous "hacking" and "programming" has become with "web programming" all of a sudden over the last few years...

Alternative title: Why I read Startup/Popular Blogstar news even though I care for very little of it.<p>Anyone else who has noticed how radically the news content on HN has changed since just last year? HN is dead, long live the new HN.

Nailed it.