RE: RE: Not knowing

I did want to clarify one thing, below.

I did NOT mean to imply that this is primarily a problem of programmer
laziness...!!!


I believe it is fall-out from the myth that a REAL programmer can thoroughly
know 15 different programming languages.  I've programmed in dual RPG/CBL
shops, and even THAT is more work than coding in either one, exclusively...
Not saying there should NEVER be more than one primary app development
language (because who doesn't use CL?)...  Just saying it is not as easy.

Again, if You EVER want to know a programming language like the back of Your
hand, plan on spending a few years on as few as languages as You possibly
can...  Plan on making the same mistakes a few thousand times, in the
process.  (Btw, and then You can have a better chance of seeing how business
solutions can be put together on a shoe string, so this helps those who
enjoy designing systems, as well.)

But people seem to want to learn a language in a few months, and that can
only be done if the language and "most ALL" it's "best practices" and
optimal uses for varying trade-offs, are given pretty short shrift...  And
doesn't matter much WHAT the language is, in my experience, this is still
the case.

Icbw, although don't have time for a long thread today.





(And btw, Leif, since You're flowing in the cash I'll take a few thou, if at
0% interest...;-)




| [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of jt

| I believe that I, and many others on this list, would STRONGLY
| disagree with
| this sentiment:  "on the whole I think a case can be made that
| the world in
| general has benefitted from the fact that so many people can now use
| computers for so many things -- in large part because of programmers who
| knew just enough to get by".
|
| Many would view this as the PROBLEM with software production today.
|