Should everyone learn computer programming and how to code?

@thebigk • Oct 23, 2024

Oct 23, 2024

1.0K

One video is doing rounds on the Internet in which Mark Zuckerberg (Founder of Facebook) and Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) among other people advice that everyone should learn to code. The reasoning? Well, computers have become a part of our every-day lives and it makes sense to be able to write software programs to 'instruct' them to do specific tasks.

Here's the video -

What they say makes sense; but should everyone really learn to code? Should 'coding' become a part of textbooks along with basic math, science, physics, chemistry etc.?

What's your take? Justify.

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Ramani Aswath

@ramani-VR4O43 • Mar 5, 2013

In the sixties I learnt Fortran II and a bit of machine language. In the early eighties learnt to program in Basic (various versions) both for work and for fun.
Enough is enough. This old dog probably can be taught new tricks, but is unwilling to put in the effort.
Pensu

@pensu-8tNeGU • Mar 5, 2013

I think they should. And "coding" is not only learn to make programs. Its about learning how the computer works. And computer is undoubtedly one of the most important part of our lives. So, it makes sense to learn about how exactly that stuff works.
Whats In Name

@whats-in-name-KdgM7o • Mar 6, 2013

Should 'coding' become a part of textbooks along with basic math, science, physics, chemistry etc.?
I think,Yes,because if we start to learn at least basic coding from a minor age,then,probably we will start to build logic from beginning and it won't be difficult for us to cope with languages which suddenly appear in 10+ classes!
Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Mar 6, 2013

Computer Science & IT folks will invariably say 'Yes' (do we have exceptions?). I'm looking forward to comments from people who belong to other branches of engineering. I'll go ahead and tag a few CEans randomly.

#-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-# . Will tag more people later 😉
Whats In Name

@whats-in-name-KdgM7o • Mar 6, 2013

Actually,for me,its not more of an IT thing but it is just that coding is somewhat like exercising brain and it helps to build logic which is required for most of the fields we chose.
ISHAN TOPRE

@ishan-nohePN • Mar 6, 2013

The_Big_K
Computer Science & IT folks will invariably say 'Yes' (do we have exceptions?). I'm looking forward to comments from people who belong to other branches of engineering. I'll go ahead and tag a few CEans randomly.

#-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-# . Will tag more people later 😉
CS/ IT may not remain happy if everyone learns programming and coding. It will affect their job. ☕

But given that programming is nothing but mathematics (& also logic) applied in computer language, we should learn it. It may be helpful depending upon our interest and job profile.
gohm

@gohm-F3UUpP • Mar 6, 2013

I think it would be good, at least at a basic, introductory level. As for me it's too late but it would make sense currently in schools.
[Prototype]

@prototype-G9Gn5k • Mar 6, 2013

Absolutely YES! To electronics guys who think they can skip C language which is there in cirriculum thinking its 'software' and not useful listen, there is no avail in core industry if you're not capable of programming. Whether it be embdeded, VLSI, DSP, PLC, name yourselves any industry, programming will be there. If you skip C at this stage, you'll find extreme tough time to understand any other programming language you'll encounter. In this era, nothing can be done without computer. Extreme electronics hardware are actually made on computer. You would never touch any soldering iron or physical components as such.

So in short, Yes, every computer user must be aware of programming if they want to use the computer and most importantly properly maintain their computer as programming will give you good insight of your machine and extends the things you could do in addition to facebook.
Abhishek Rawal

@abhishek-fg9tRh • Mar 6, 2013

In this Modern Age, whatever everything around you is happening, is because of Computers, directly or indirectly.Take any new invention that is happening - all researches needs computers for calculation/accuracy purpose.

So, Is it necessary for everyone to learn "how-to-code" ?
Answer is "yes" & "No" - Depends upon profession.

Why "Yes" ?
In Technical Fields - Skill to understand/write codes is necessary. Because somewhere sometime almost every technical student faces the period when he/she realises the importance of understanding computers.

Why "No" ?
In some Non-technical field, understanding codes is not that necessary - No need to give explanation.

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Now, Like #-Link-Snipped-# said
Issue
CS/ IT may not remain happy if everyone learns programming and coding. It will affect their job. ☕
Well, I feel that best programmers are killer in Logic analysis.
It's not about how many people can code, Coding ain't big thing.
Real coder is the one who is capable of coding & solving the problem with minimum logic which other coders take somewhat more time.In coding, each bit of memory is counted.
Smaller the code --> Better the Code.

"Logic" is one skill that needs experience to master it.So, if 100 million people knows programming language or 100 billion people knows it -- Smart coders will always dominate this Game !

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Well, I don't think for everyone coding is necessary - But every technical field student/graduate should be capable of understanding it.

By the way, I don't even think all Computer Engineering students know how Computers work.Because, C language doesn't make you understand how computers(Processors) work(even though is close to low-level language), nor any language like Java or C++ or whatever.
Without Assembly Languages, you can't really understand that what is happening inside the registers of Processor.
And In our Indian Education system, they teach Assembly language of 8085 to CS students but never Assembly Languages for x86 systems : So, basically that's not their fault.

Hence, We Electronics Engineers always Win 😁
babumoshaaye

@babumoshaaye-aOuwuO • Mar 13, 2013

I personally believe that coding increases your thinking capabilities. While we code we come with different approaches to one single problem. That way logic increases and better and faster understanding is developed among people. So, no matter what the stream may be, everyone must learn how to code, and that could be any programming language.
Anand Tamariya

@anand-tamariya-DnfjEX • Mar 13, 2013

Ahh.... another generalization!!! We don't need everybody to learn coding more than we need them to learn surgery!! People should be master at their art/craft. If it involves computer, learn coding else chuck it off!!
Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Mar 13, 2013

Anand Tamariya
We don't need everybody to learn coding more than we need them to learn surgery!!
😁 Epic! We need everyone to learn first aid, swimming, skill to lit fire with stones, politeness, kindness etc. The world won't require software if that happens.
Gurjap

@gurjap-blPmg9 • Mar 14, 2013

I know a whole lot of dudes who can code like any other well trained blind monkey in the code-a-thon, but ask them to automate a simple task, like a program or subroutine running everytime the system is booted, and they get stuck. Coding certainly doesn't raise IQ, that's for sure.
Pensu

@pensu-8tNeGU • Mar 14, 2013

Okay, looks like we are distracting from the point. Nobody is saying coders are superior beings. The point is computers have evolved a lot and are used almost in every area so its for your betterment that you learn about it. I dont understand whats the problem with that? I am saying this again, coding is not only writing 5000 lines of C program. As said in the video, it helps you to know how the computer executes the instructions. Yes, there are other important things too, but I guess you cant ignore the "coding" part now!
Gurjap

@gurjap-blPmg9 • Mar 14, 2013

Most programs and apps today are developed with the end user in mind. Especially the professional software that mechanical engineers use today (LabVIEW, Pro/E, SolidWorks, CATIA, Ansys etc) do not require any knowledge of coding or programming.
atul-namdeo

@atul-namdeo-1tThXM • Mar 30, 2013

Kaustubh Katdare
Computer Science & IT folks will invariably say 'Yes' (do we have exceptions?). I'm looking forward to comments from people who belong to other branches of engineering. I'll go ahead and tag a few CEans randomly.

#-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-# . Will tag more people later 😉
i am pursuing engineering from Mechanical and i think yes we should have knowledge of coding..
oprime

@oprime-Myffqx • Apr 4, 2013

Gurjap
Most programs and apps today are developed with the end user in mind. Especially the professional software that mechanical engineers use today (LabVIEW, Pro/E, SolidWorks, CATIA, Ansys etc) do not require any knowledge of coding or programming.
A good percentage of the people who created softwares like MATLAB, LabVIEW, Pro/E, Solidworks etc were more than likely engineers from branches like Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Aerospace, Electronics etc.

Without domain specific knowledge, the models present in MATLAB cannot be created.
oprime

@oprime-Myffqx • Apr 4, 2013

Abhishek Rawal
And In our Indian Education system, they teach Assembly language of 8085 to CS students but never Assembly Languages for x86 systems : So, basically that's not their fault.

Hence, We Electronics Engineers always Win 😁
If people search on Google, they can get lots of links to video tutorials on the x86 Assembly Level language.

<a href="https://opensecuritytraining.info/IntroX86.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">IntroX86</a>
<a href="https://opensecuritytraining.info/IntermediateX86.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">IntermediateX86</a>

If someone has interest in some topic, he/she will learn it on his own. There is no need to spoon feed him by including it in the syllabus.
Gurjap

@gurjap-blPmg9 • Apr 5, 2013

Truly spoken. Which means, again, that not everybody need to code, since the basic structure has already been erected for them. As for MATLAB, it cannot be compared to CAD softwares.