Reading04

It is quite important the choice of programming language in software development and computer science. When reading this question, the first I thought I had was a Operating Systems project, we did the project in C and that was a not so good of a decision. The TA that graded our project said, “If I could give you points for audacity, I would.” Yeah, we felt that through the project. There could have been a different programming language that we could have used in order to make our lives a bit easier.

When thinking of how “programming languages are not just technology, but what programmers think in” I feel like the different languages that are used force you to think in different ways to get to a solution. Graham was saying you wouldn’t want to program in machine language or how you have to pick a language depending on what kind of program you are writing and this is definitely not what we did during the planning portions of our project. So, over all it is important to consider what programming language to use. I’m currently in Operating Systems and working on projects in C allow me to figure things out differently than I would if I was writing in C++. This distinction is really beneficial to learning various techniques. The class really makes you think in a different way.

I don’t think programming languages are ‘better’ than the other. I do think that people like some more than other based on their way of thinking. Just like its a different way to think in, each different programming language changes that way of thinking a bit from others. So it may feel like some programming languages are more powerful than others, but it’s probably that some can do things in a better than others, but that doesn’t make them more powerful just a different mindset because where one lacks the other may have that strength. It would probably be wonderful for one programming language to have it all, but unfortunately, that is not the case so using different programming languages depending on the project is the way to go about it.

Throughout the evolution of programming languages it seems like we always start with laziness. People would create, what is now something as seen as necessary, in order to make things easier for themselves. These are the ‘features’ that we still see in the various programming languages and would struggle ourselves without them. For example, Lisp was different with the nine things that Graham said in Revenge of the Nerds. A couple are garbage collection, recursion, or a function type. These are some that we take for granted at times while programming. These are features that we will continue to see as programming languages continue to develop.

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Reading03

As I was reading Paul Graham’s “The Word ‘Hacker’” it was clear that his version was compatible to Steven Levy’s description in some ways. Levy viewed a true hacker as someone who thinks that all information should be free. Graham wrote about the mechanisms that companies had in place to prevent copying and how hackers saw that as a threat to the intellectual freedom so their responsibility is to break these locks. In a similar was Levy speaks about how art and beauty can be created on a computer. Graham describes hackers and painters to have a lot in common. Paintings can be done by multiple people, just like multiple people can collaborate on software. I think that Graham does have a version of a hacker that was compatible with the description that Levy gave in his book.

From the discussion in class and “Why Nerds Are Unpopular,” I tried to reflect on my high school days to determine if I fell into the category of a ‘nerd’ or something like that. I personally don’t think so but what do I know. I never considered myself as a part of the ‘smart’ crowd at my school even though I would get pretty good grades and try more than others in school. Graham described nerds as people who wanted to be smart and had a passion to have more and more knowledge. This seems very accurate to my thoughts of what a nerd is. I feel like at some points, like when my sister called me a nerd, I could be a nerd but for the most part I think it was just that I valued education more than she did. Even with this I am conflicted because I never really thought of anyone at my high school as a nerd, so I am not exactly sure how that plays out. Either way, I never pictured myself as a nerd, I have always felt like more of an outsider.

Grahams depiction of a hacker still does not create a desire in me to be one. I feel like I still have a negative depiction of a hacker that I would not want to become one. When he mentioned that hackers are like painters and that there’s a lot in common I am reminded of how many people tell me that art is very related to the STEM fields and how many STEM majors are drawn to it, myself being one. I actually love painting canvases and being able to express through that form of art. I think that with things like this I was able to see some characteristics of Graham’s hacker within myself. This confirms within me that I am studying what I love and I still feel a part of the ‘computer science’ community, but being a ‘hacker’ still does not seem something that I want to do.

The person that Graham describes as a hacker is more off putting for me just like Levy’s description of a hacker.

Reading02

I go back to the question that was asked in class. When was the first time you were introduced to a computer? I remember having a desktop in our guest room and there not really being a reason to have this computer. In the book it is mentioned that people who had no desire to program computers were buying them. I now wonder what the reason for my parents to have this computer in our house. They barely knew how to speak English let alone use a computer. (Tbh, I don’t know if my mom knows how to use a computer.) So what was the purpose of purchasing this machine to them?

I never really thought about this introduction into my life. I forgot about the computer games we played or the typing races that my sister and I had. This allowed us to learn the technology and what it can do at a young age. I think that people can still benefit from their computer even if they themselves did not program it. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel when it has already been done but one can build and have new ideas to build on top of what’s already done. The next question that Steven Levy asked is what I find interesting.

Is keeping this software private a good for the public or not? If people want to build or expand on what’s already there they can’t because there’s no access to it. I think back to this ‘American Dream’ that many people desire and people like Ken and Roberta Williams who created games were able to live the life that they always dreamed of by making money off what they created. If they had just posted how to create the game there would not have been as much financial gain.

I don’t think that The Hacker Ethic can truly and fully survive in a world of commercial and proprietary software. Unfortunately, in today’s society doing something you love and are called to do may not be where people end up because of financial reasons. Even though some of these people dream to become millionaires and end up doing so by developing a game and selling it. There is always the downside of doing something just for fun but because it does not create an income then it’s harder to continue or damaging to relationships.

I don’t think that being a professional programmer is better than being a ‘soul’ programmer or vice versa. This goes back to providing for a family and ‘filling’ your soul. It’s like asking, “Should I provide for my family with this job or should I do something I love even though it may not put food on the table?” there is not a “better” in this situation. The first person is thinking logistically and the second may have some faith that things work out.  I think it’s important to understand your personal values and see which direction is best for the life you’re living. Some people can do both of these and it’s the best outcome but not the most common.