15 Years Writing C++ - Advice for new programmers
Summary
TLDRChris, a seasoned C++ programmer with 15 years of experience, reflects on his programming journey. He discusses the common misconceptions about learning C++ and encourages new programmers not to worry about the language they start with. Chris emphasizes the importance of writing code, making mistakes, and learning to debug as key to growth in programming. He advises aspiring programmers to focus on the process and enjoy the journey, regardless of the language they choose to start with.
Takeaways
- ๐ Chris has been programming in C++ for 15 years and keeps all his code files.
- ๐ง His code-hoarding habit stems from a belief in the future usefulness of his code.
- ๐ He found his first compiled C++ file from June 23, 2008, which led to reflections on his programming journey.
- ๐ผ Chris works professionally in game development using C++ daily.
- ๐ Online opinions suggest that new programmers should avoid learning C++ due to its complexity and dated nature.
- ๐ ๏ธ Despite the language's imperfections, Chris believes that learning C++ can be beneficial for beginners.
- ๐ The key for new programmers is to focus on writing code and learning from mistakes rather than achieving perfection.
- ๐ Chris advises against fixating on the 'right way' to learn programming and instead encourages exploration and experimentation.
- ๐ก He regrets not writing more 'bad code' early in his career, as it would have helped him learn and save time.
- ๐ There's no 'end of the world' scenario in programming; every experience contributes to growth.
- ๐ป Chris encourages anyone interested in programming to start by simply writing code on their preferred IDE.
Q & A
How long has Chris been programming in C++?
-Chris has been programming in C++ for 15 years.
What does Chris's habit of keeping all his code files reflect?
-Chris's habit of keeping all his code files reflects his paranoia that he might need them in the future, even if they are considered total scrap or just following a tutorial.
What significant discovery did Chris make while going through his old files?
-Chris discovered his first compiled C++ file, which he wrote on June 23, 2008.
What is Chris's professional occupation?
-Chris works professionally as a programmer, focusing on game development, and uses C++ every day in his work.
What advice does Chris have for new programmers regarding the choice of programming language?
-Chris advises that new programmers should not worry about the language they start with and that any time spent learning to code is well spent. He suggests focusing on writing code and learning from errors rather than getting fixated on doing it the 'right' way.
What common misconception does Chris address about learning C++?
-Chris addresses the misconception that C++ is an outdated language that causes frustration and deters people from continuing with programming. He believes that no programming language is perfect, and learning C++ can be a great starting point.
How does Chris feel about the notion of 'writing bad code'?
-Chris believes that writing bad code can be beneficial as it allows programmers to learn from their mistakes and improve their debugging skills. He thinks that his early focus on avoiding bad code might have hindered his learning process.
What was Chris's initial mindset when he started learning programming?
-Initially, Chris was fixated on learning 'the right way' by emulating theๅญฆไน ๆนๆณ of those he admired. This mindset, he later realized, might have prevented him from exploring and making mistakes that could haveๅ ้ไบไป็ๅญฆไน ่ฟ็จใ
What encouragement does Chris offer to those who are interested in programming?
-Chris encourages interested individuals to simply start writing code on their computers using their preferred IDE. He emphasizes that the key is to begin and enjoy the process of learning and problem-solving in programming.
How does Chris's personal journey with C++ inform his perspective on programming education?
-Chris's personal journey shows that persistence and learning from errors are more important than the language one starts with or the fear of writing bad code. He suggests that the focus should be on the experience of coding and learning rather than on achieving perfection early on.
What is the main takeaway from Chris's reflection on his programming experience?
-The main takeaway is that the journey of learning programming should be about doing, experimenting, and learning from errors rather than worrying about the language or the 'right' way. It's important to enjoy the process and be open to making mistakes as part of the learning experience.
Outlines
๐จโ๐ป Reflecting on 15 Years of C++ Programming
Chris, a programmer with 15 years of experience in C++, shares his journey through old code files. He discusses his tendency to keep all his code, even from tutorials, due to a fear of needing it in the future. He reminisces about finding his first compiled C++ file from June 23, 2008, and reflects on his professional career in game development using C++. Despite acknowledging the language's imperfections, he defends C++ as a valuable tool for new programmers, emphasizing the importance of writing code and learning from errors rather than focusing on the 'right' way to program. He advises against worrying about the longevity of the programming language and encourages beginners to just start coding and learning through trial and error.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กProgramming
๐กC++
๐กParanoia
๐กReflection
๐กGame Development
๐กNew Programmers
๐กLanguage Criticism
๐กDebugging
๐กLearning Process
๐กProgramming Language Selection
๐กCode Quality
Highlights
Chris has been programming in C++ for 15 years.
Chris has a habit of keeping all his code files, even those that seem useless at the moment.
Chris found his first compiled C++ file from June 23, 2008, while going through old files.
Chris works professionally as a programmer in game development and uses C++ daily.
Some people online discourage new programmers from learning C++, calling it an old and problematic language.
Chris believes that C++ is not perfect, but no programming language is, especially one as general-purpose as C++.
According to Chris, when starting out, one should focus on writing code rather than worrying about the language they will use in the future.
Chris thinks that learning to debug and encountering errors is a crucial part of programming education.
He advises not to get fixated on learning 'the right way' but to focus on doing and learning.
Chris reflects on his early focus on learning 'the right way' which he now believes hindered his progress.
Writing bad code and learning from it is a valuable experience, according to Chris.
Chris encourages anyone interested in programming to just start writing code on their computer.
He emphasizes that there's no 'end of the world' situation in programming learning, and one should just start.
Chris shares his 15 years of experience to motivate new programmers to not be afraid of challenges in learning to code.
Transcripts
hey everyone my name is Chris and I've
been programming at C plus plus for 15
years
um
yeah so I was going through some old
files and I tend to keep everything that
I write
um I just have this paranoia that I'm
going to need it in the future even if
it's like Total Scrap or you know just
following a tutorial that I read online
and I could just look it up again if I
ever needed to but for some reason just
always brought my code files with me uh
and no you know old like college
homework and and those sorts of things
um I was going through those files uh
seeing what uh I need to back up and I
found a c plus file it's probably my
first compiling C plus plus file that I
wrote uh June 23 2008. so I was 15 years
ago
and
um it got me kind of reflecting on my
time writing with C plus plus uh I'm a I
work professionally as a programmer
doing game development and I use C plus
plus every day that I'm writing code
um
and I see a lot of people online telling
new programmers that uh they shouldn't
actually learn CFOs plus and that it's
problematic language and it's old and if
you start learning C plus plus you're
going to get frustrated and quit
programming all together
and all these things
um but as
much as I do have problems with the
language
um it's not perfect I don't think any
programming language is and especially
something that tries to be as general
purpose as a lot of programming
languages are
um there's going to be problems uh but I
think if you're starting out you don't
have to worry about any of that I don't
think you even have to worry if you're
going to be using the programming
language that you're learning a year
from now uh all you need to really worry
about is that you're trying to write
code you're not getting fixated on doing
it the right way uh just your trying to
get stuff up on the screen trying to you
know change mutate files the way that
you want to mutate them whatever kind of
programming you're doing as long as
you're doing it and learning and hitting
your head up against the wall finding
errors and learning to debug I think
that is a great way to start out
um I don't think you have to pick any
kind of specific language
um so I think it is all time
well spent
um
and the reason I I think and I want to
say this is I think starting out I
really did get fixated on like am I
learning things the right way
um I was always trying to figure out how
people I looked up to
learned and I'm like well obviously the
way they learned
is how I should learn because they're
the best at it and I want to be the best
at it
um and I think that actually caused me
to kind of not do a lot of
the things that I should have done I
don't think I'm spending a lot of time
programming I was probably too concerned
about you know typing in some magical
bad code that would forever render me uh
useless as a programmer and I think
writing bad code
um more often and figuring out what ad
code was that way would have done me uh
a lot of good and probably saved me a
lot of time
um but yeah
um
it worked out uh I don't think you know
there's really any end of the world
situation for anyone's programming
learnings I think if you're interested
and you enjoy it or you think you might
enjoy it just
get on your computer
open up your IDE of choice and and write
some code
um
that's it thanks for watching
Browse More Related Video
You're doing it wrong: How to become a great programmer (says Cambridge professor)
ะะฝะธะณะธ ัะบั ะผะฐั ะฟัะพัะธัะฐัะธ ะะะะะ ะฟัะพะณัะฐะผััั
Come GUADAGNARE come Programmatore: La ROADMAP definitiva
Python Tutorial for Beginners with VS Code ๐
Which Coding Language should you start with in 2024? For Beginners
Mindset of Successful Programmers
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)