How to learn programming | Charles Isbell and Michael Littman and Lex Fridman

Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: • Charles Isbell and Mic...
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[@isaacroberts9089]

I have no idea what they're talking about but I'm just like "Mmm, yes, makes sense. That's right, yes, LISP is best, of course."

[@Priva_C]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@tomace1201]

That shit had me cracking up dude

[@davidcalderon2161]

Anytime I look up programming for beginners it seems like there no such thing like these people just start throwing terms around like I’m just supposed to know these things lol

[@layo3452]

@@davidcalderon2161 😂😂 it seems that way, but if you stick around a bit, after some time it’d just click.

[@YashuaElohim7]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@paull9086]

Start small but have something specific you want to build.

[@0mer870]

This is a better advice imo

[@reasonerenlightened2456]

Why the programming languages are still not self-aware in the 21-st century ! That should really trouble you all.

[@Badj4s]

Exactly this!

[@worldshaper1723]

I want to build a Neuralink device. I have been working with Assembly and C/C++

[@nuvcrossbackit4361]

To build what? Examples please

[@Morelloo1]

That was biggest problem for me when I started learning C++ in first year I remember being so mind blown by just hello world and not getting at all why it worked. I really didn't like taking it for granted. I think the problem for me was not grasping the concept of 'abstraction' - to me it was just some buzzword that I didn't really get. Wasn't until I knew about assembly , compilers and how basic processor architecture worked that it all started to click.

[@Straitjacket346]

This is why I've never been able to go more than a day into the journey, it's like a state of permanent OCD.

[@ajmalzahir3088]

Bro the day I realized that data structures were abstract creations we’ve made to form containers for collections of data and the power and freedom that allowed a dev 🤯

[@freepatriot9070]

Like Lex said, they should make everything as explicit as possible. For instance in your case, they should have made a clear link between the output you see on the screen and the 0's and 1's that create them.

[@benvella1728]

Helped a lot when we were made to write java and check out the resulting byte code to figure out what was happening

[@xamael1989]

To a certain degree i would favour abstraction especially when the lib or tool does its job well the problem comes when you have to go beyond that abstraction and figure ought how things connect to implement improve or change an object that has been abstracted is difficult an abstraction is an addictive confort zone thats born of necessity

[@jacobjohn378]

Seeing Lex focus so hard on the question, expecting something really difficult, is gold.

[@brians7100]

I'm still not convinced he knew the answer was y = 3 and not y = 7 tbh

[@rafaeldericksanchezlockwar4920]

"Python is basically lisp but with better syntax" "...blasphemy" xD

[@lokeshrana7359]

From a software developer's perspective, I would suggest learning javascript because it broadens the scope of what you can develop. Websites, servers, native mobile applications just to name a few.

[@Nikki_the_G]

@@techtutorvideos Right because it's not like js is used in actual development and web at all, wtf are you talking about? It's standard.

[@over1498]

I know JS purists hate when I say this, but I’d say learn JS basics then learn Typescript thoroughly. You can do anything JS can do, it will be supported and growing for a long time. But the main point is that you’ll be able to switch to Python, Rust, Scala, and other high demand functional code easily. I consider it sort of a mistake that I spent so much time learning JS quirks. Of course it’s good to know, but the docs will always be there if you really need. Just saying I n the time it takes to understand JS thoroughly, you could have learned like 4 other skills at an intermediate level.

[@user5214]

I started about 7 months ago and now am almost finished building a chess game from scratch using react. Very rewarding without having to know how memory works or how the computer itself is doing much of anything, but rather being able to focus on how the language itself can assist me in getting the results I want without a massive barrier to entry that other lower level languages present.

[@Ismail-zd9gp]

How long does it take to become a frint end web developer learning javascript?

[@vibovitold]

JS is used for cross-platform mobile applications. only then a framework like React Native can compile, or tranpile your work into native ones. NATIVE mobile development is generally taken to mean that one uses Android SDK or its iOS counterpart, coding in Kotlin (formerly Java) or Swift (formerly Objective-C). this being said, i do agree that JavaScript is ubiquitous, and a sensible choice (although i'm not a big fan of the language myself, but that's of course subjective)

[@astrahcat1212]

I started with C# and there were all of these best coding principles, but what kept me going was kind of being a 'rogue' programmer and doing it the way i wanted to. Now a days I can see that what I was doing was called 'procedural' programming style, and it was oop style that I was learning at the time.

[@uscjake868]

Python reads and writes how you think. It is so fast and comfortable. For a new beginner: just write out all of the things you want a program to do. KEEP IT BASIC. Then slowly google how to write those statements out: If X is greater than Y, then Z is equal to X plus 2.

[@bokchoiman]

I was taught assembly and as soon as I started learned C++, I begun to flush out assembly altogether. At some point it becomes unproductive to think at such a low level of abstraction because what you wish to accomplish will significantly outweigh the capabilities of the language you're using.

[@defco89]

6:02 stripping each concept down to its bare essentials seems to be the quintessence of mastery !!

[@defco89]

6:29 understanding why code treats a familiar concept in unfamiliar ways is also helpful in building the right mental models.

[@defco89]

10:16 how do you know what you dont know if the projects and problem sets you work on dont reveal it ?!

[@defco89]

10:25 workarounds indicate the need to continue refining skills for mastery !!

[@nebulous_57]

This makes me feel better about learning C++. I'm on my midterm and I don't really know what's going on sometimes but I do understand the majority of what I'm seeing, I just need to learn how to build a program using my own notes and skills. As a visual learner, the text doesn't help me as much as watching youtube or googling others' blocks of code and seeing it in action. I don't know how I'll grade at the end of the semester but I enjoy programming and the high I get after my programming running as intended is new and awesome

[@joethestrat]

9:50 to 10:04 So much truth in this process you mentioned. Don't know how I wasn't subbed to you before but I'm rectifying that right now. Liked and shared also.

[@Soso-ho2si]

When are we leaving to K-PAX ?

[@paologallardo8869]

I'm currently enrolled in an AI/ML Associates of science. We're having to learn python along with some other ML knowledge. It seems interesting and espite the steep learning curve I'm going to force myself to love it.

[@madmotorcyclist]

Lisp is the only language that gives standard language programmers pause and takes some getting used to, due to its code foundation of everything is essentially a list. It only matters how you interpret/evaluate the list and its elements. It's why AI started to get popular back in the 1980s with natural language parsers and planning and scheduling.

[@Pulsed101]

I'm learning Python at uni and JS in my spare time. Python is much, much more enjoyable for me.

[@Ayo22210]

I say start with the Wiki Markup Language! You can start using it meaningfully in about 5 minutes.

[@psytron939]

I found Python as a first language to be easier than others. Its a compiled language and you can troubleshoot your errors in your code because it will tell you for the most part why its not working, whereas Javascript you can look for hours for a double space you had instead of a singlespace that made the whole code or game not work at all. Python for me was the easiest and the funner language to learn.

[@AugustoGuerrero__Main__]

Python is an interpreted language.

[@alivepenmods]

It's compiled to bytecode for the VM at runtime. Because you don't compile it manually before running it manualy doesn't mean there is no compiler.

[@AlumniQuad]

@@alivepenmods "It's compiled because there's something called a Python compiler!!!" Except the x86/ARM/PowerPC/other microprocessor on which you want to run the program doesn't understand Python bytecode--you still need to have a Python interpreter installed to interpret the so-called "compiled" bytecode or use something like Cython to translate the script into a programming language that then is actually compiled.

[@jonjojr]

learn computational design thinking(and logic), data structures and algorithms. If you can grasp those concepts you can write in any language and build anything.

[@sameeruprety8306]

Great piece of advice

[@CodeInspire]

As a programmer watching this: Charles's examples are the worst way to explain how programming works. You can't assign variables in your mind and ask people what's the value of it. Basics of programming is always easy. The hard part of programming is practical projects. He makes the basic concepts hard by silly examples.

[@xolanindlovu6158]

Self-taught python , @ school i had to do c++ and then i decided to add java and FORTRAN

[@PoulLarsenmusic]

6:30 love this simple experiment

[@kunal2010cool]

Tears slowly rolling down your eyes 👀😂 too good

[@rj23032]

I watched bucky's python playlist and played with it for several months before I had to devote my time for something else, I was often in touch and but most of my time was spent elsewhere, now I am starting with c++ on the same channel since I heard it is better for CP.

[@midnightwatchman1]

great advice about getting into coding

[@maus8161]

Thanks mate, love ya'

[@elitehaxxor8025]

Although being on the bleeding edge of technology is nice, the languages that have stuck around and maintained popularity will always be the go to. I will always lean towards the C family, because I believe they're the best. I hate Python's syntax with a passion.

[@w3w3w3]

Learn Python, C, ASM.

[@nvrthles]

"Blasphemy..."

[@Jeevanm71]

To write a Pac-Man game in an afternoon is hard Lmaoo wtf

[@SufferDYT]

noooot really, theres only one board/level, basic movement, basic enemy ai, etc. You can write pac man in under 100 lines. They used to have magazines with Basic code in them that you would copy to play games and they were usually very short, and pacman was a game often written for this sort of thing because it was so popular at the time, and it's simple.

[@SufferDYT]

@@egbukwuprince He's not making it sound like a big deal. He's saying it's not a big deal, that he picked a small project to just build one weekend.

[@danielbusquets3282]

I started learning programming some 10 years ago when I was already past 35. I never stopped. I’m now able to build complex softwares on my on. It feels very empowering to be able to transform my ideas into products as a solo coder, solo entrepreneur. Every long journey starts with the first step and it is never too late to start while there’s life. Just do it. By the way, I started with python and I will never regret doing so. My current project uses python, typescript (vue3) and 3 databases including one vector db. I love it and I will launch in only a few more months! Happy coding everyone!

[@mallukittens177]

Hey can you share what all projects you build when u were learning ? I'm doing small cli stuff but I'm not able to build big projects and microservices. Also haven't studied front end yet.

[@darasvlogs]

Hi Daniel, you will be certainly my inspiration in this case.. I m 39 now.. And started learning python... Previously I worked for non Software jobs.. But i want to make transition into IT industry now.. It feels motivated when I see someone has already gone through similar path

[@dantedt3931]

A bit long to read, but here’s my programming path and advice: I started with C++,failed it the entire year, but the next year I attended a few extra classes(no pun), i eventually understood the different concepts and passed it very well. I then discovered Python, it was much easier to grasp and found a lot of use cases for it. I’ve been building applications with Python/Django for years now, loving it. I also watch videos and read books about Algorithms, Data Structures etc to enhance my skills. My advice to anyone starting out, especially in a non-academic way: -Pick a language that you can build a small project with -Try to understand how the code works -Add more functionalities to your project -Never copy and paste a piece of program that works but you don’t know how. -EVERY BUG IN A PROGRAM IS A LESSON,AND LEARNING NEVER STOPS.

[@programmer1840]

Same as me. Started with C++, but Python is way easier to build stuff with, like little applications and data science.

[@DoubleAAmazin]

Should learn C before Python so you can grasp data types...and Python is written in C

[@xazarl3381]

What project do you make though whats a small project whats in your head vs someone who is new is probably not even close.

[@xazarl3381]

@@dantedt3931 nice ithink thats more useful than anything you could be taught it gives you a goal lol.

[@nikorasukamado2245]

thanks for the advice

[@kiwi-soop]

For people who want to learn how to write code, as someone who's been coding for 10+ years my biggest piece of advice is this; Don't worry about what language you start with, just pick something that has a relatively simply syntax so you can focus on learning the CONCEPTS. Once you understand the concepts like data structures, loops, functions/methods, you can transfer that to any language.

[@elis2634]

Do you recommend Java as a first language ?

[@kiwi-soop]

@@elis2634 Probably not, although you definitely could. I feel like Java can be a little confusing when you're first starting out, but if you feel like you want to start with an OOP language like Java I would recommend C#. You can get started building programs with an actual UI pretty much immediately with Visual Studio which I think can make the learning process feel more gratifying. Also if you decide later you want to learn Java instead, there's not a huge difference between the syntax of the two languages.

[@playversetv3877]

yeh i think these programming languages are like human languages. if you get used to a simpler syntax programming language, i guess that would make it easier to focus on the gist of programming and coding. then applying that language sense to other languages is easier because the logic is pretty much the same, its just different syntax, different rules and grammar and what not

[@michaelanthony4750]

Coal miners are gonna love this video.

[@The_Mosaic]

Stop.

[@nunyabiznes6702]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍

[@methylphosphatePOET]

@@GeoFry3 Sorry, but I have a "studies" degree. And all of this is laughably simple. Code is not very complicated at all. I've been writing programs in C++ and Python for years. There are some dense theoretic frameworks developed by people like Derrida and Foucault that are required reading in "studies" courses, that the typical software developer would be completely intimidated by. Many developers are morons who don't bother to read anything beside the little software language they were interested enough to learn once upon a time. The fact that you think this is heady stuff says more about you than it does "studies" majors.

[@johnmarkjames5447]

@@methylphosphatePOET I bet you’re fun at parties.

[@johnjay6370]

@@GeoFry3 I understand programming might be easy for you, but it does not mean it is easy for most. The IQ of a standard programmer is 110 or above the adv IQ in United States is 98.. This tells me most people will never be a programmer.

[@saberxebeck]

X=3; Y=4; What is X? (Ans=3) What is Y? (Ans=4) Y=X; What is Y? (Ans=3) X=7 What is Y? (Ans=3 But would be 7 if x and y would be anchored with an ampersand) I Couldnt see this in the comments and the ans wasn't clear in the vid so I figured I'd type it up for others.

[@lvrsvid]

Thank you for this. I thought I was correct in my thinking but you finished the loop for me, haha.

[@kingoffongpei]

Thanks for this. I am just learning about memory while learning Javascript right now and had a feeling it was still 3 and I think it's due to being primitive values? Not sure if that's correct and also not sure if that's correct for all programming languages. I don't know what the anchoring means yet but I'll probably get to it later.

[@nyion7584]

Yes, I was looking for this comment. Guys in video just assume that X and Y are reference variables. When usually those are just value ones so this Y = X does what it should do in math. And then changing X does not affect Y. Until it's value type not reference type. So explanation in video was poor.

[@ahancho]

hello I am currently completing harvards free cs50 and i learned that ampersand in C was used for as an address operator or pointer. may you explain what you mean by "anchored with an ampersand"? thank you

[@thisisthechief1]

Thank you. I love how they never answered it in the video lol

[@andreasleonhard1512]

I've been writing code for 9 years. I almost can't believe I have reached the level I have reached. When I first started out I seriously doubted I could ever become a software developer. I also almost dropped out of my studies because I felt like they kept adding material on top of the stuff I was still struggling to understand. It is very abstract when you're not familiar with it. When I got my first job I was still not good at coding, but slowly I got better and better and it became a lot more natural to me. I guess you can compare it to learning to read or learning a new language. Things became more and more obvious to me. At this point, I feel like I can understand most concepts and I can learn new frameworks fairly quick. So I really recommend that if you study it and you're close to giving up. Just keep grinding. You will end up learning it if you put the effort into it. On a side note. I've noticed that some of the developers I studied with, who found it super easy back then, are now struggling. Being an employee is more than just being able to code, and some of these former classmates have their own way of doing things, and sometimes it does not align with working in a team or working in a company on bigger projects. So yeah, don't lose hope.

[@islomtuyjonov6952]

funnily i'm at that stage right now... i'm only two month in on my python course and feel stuck and even doubting my ability to become a developer. the fact that a lot of people struggle in the beginning just like i'm now giving me hope that i can go further.

[@andreasleonhard1512]

@@islomtuyjonov6952 Keep going! You will learn it :)

[@Anmeldn]

i gave up several times, because i have a language aptitude, i always sucked at math, i find those steril words offputting, but i cant let programming go. did you feel mathematically inclined as you kept going, or is it really something that feels unnatural for a long time?

[@andreasleonhard1512]

@@Anmeldn I have never been good at math. I think developing has more to do with logic than with math. Data is more or less just input and output, but the structure of that is what makes it difficult.

[@Mikeysham]

@@Anmeldn I suck at maths. Programming is different to maths, the similarities are that they both require you to apply logic, break down a problem and apply a solution. You don't need to be some sort of algebra pro, literally just basic knowledge imo is all that is required.

[@dmitrygrin6930]

Morpheus started programming when he retired from Matrix

[@conormcgregor2547]

😂

[@UserName-ii1ce]

Seashells by the seashoreus

[@dhyeypatel5537]

🤣😂

[@Thenamesjohnnymeow]

He helps the aliens with bugs from time to time

[@Meritumas]

He has been programming since he was born...

[@erichighsmith7299]

I know how to write Hello World!

[@digitalhippie2336]

In the big world, every time you do that - the big bang happens We don't fully understand what's happens in the quantum world, so behave please

[@harsimranbansal5355]

@@digitalhippie2336 “the universe is not obligated to make sense” -NDT

[@cpzd83]

You'll get there man. I'm nowhere near Eve half decent at programming but you start feeling when you get the grasp of it, trust me. Just keep at it.

[@chite3111]

print(“Me too, but not much more than that lol.”)

[@johnstamos8258]

@@freedomgoddess it’s printf not print in c

[@SuperYova]

There are only 3 things (6:08): 1. Reading from a variable 2. Writing to a variable 3. Conditional branching Everything else is syntactic sugar.

[@marchfifth1754]

I learned HTML and CSS when I was about 10 or 11. I was fascinated with making websites so I grabbed a book from Chapters and just followed it. I read it in the bathroom, on road trips. I didn't get much time to practice but I knew the basics, however, because I didn't practice it I never really got good. Now, I use it almost daily for small tasks in my job. I understand it more and more and more, but I want to be better and get into Javascript as well. I am 32 now but I hate my marketing job and want to go into strict coding. I think I am going to start studying again.

[@bennickclayton6468]

Check the Odin project, its well structured

[@ramicollo]

What's your marketing job like? What are some typical daily tasks?

[@Ismail-zd9gp]

Can you give an update about your coding journey. Did you start javascript? How long do you think it takes to become a good web developer.?

[@b-manz]

2 ways to decide what language to learn: 1. What are you most interested in - gaming, apps whatever and pick accordingly 2. What is well supported. Nothing worse than wanting help and not being able to find it.

[@miroslavdanilov902]

goal + community

[@DavidBarlowDavido01]

C#

[@swetsTV]

Trying to learn python but it’s rough. Lol.

[@rarodrig6]

@@swetsTV been teaching myself python for 18 months. I've found when I discover useful new thing, there's actually a window where I can use it without fully grasping it. And then one day something clicks, and it falls into place and it takes you to the next level. Repeat again at the next level

[@wobbly562]

@@rarodrig6 i find this happens and works as an effective way of learning in most subjects and probably even especially stem, you take a break from whatever youre trying to figure out or just focus less on trying to decypher it and it gives your brain room to just work with it subconsiously until you revisit it with a slightly new different view.

[@TheirSavior]

I just learned the basics of Javascript using the Headfirst book. It was enough to make my own card game. From reading the book to finishing the program took a month of full time commitment. I only recommend coding to people who are willing to problem solve often and can learn to sit in uncertainty for long periods of time. Those skills should be learned prior or along with coding.

[@kuukiwoyome5640]

Ditto

[@gianni3611]

Sitting with uncertainty is very hard to master. It takes a lot of mental fortitude and patience.

[@paradoxofchoice4110]

Can we see the card game and which card game is it similar to?

[@savachi]

"sit in uncertainty for long periods of time" - excellent concept and quote and transfers to a lot of other life domains.

[@moseschung3220]

In math = is equality, in programming = is assignment. This concept, once it was made known to me, made such a huge difference in my computer science journey. I'm still not a great programmer but defining basic stuff like this explicitly really helped me.

[@loganmedia1142]

It's both equality and assignment in mathematics. Programming languages need two representations because computers are stupid.

[@murtajiz545]

@WomenBeater88 in math, which is where the “=“ comes from in the first place, the equals sign quite literally means that both numbers/entities that are mentioned are the same, they’re *equal.* In programming, if you want something to EQUAL something, you use “==“, just one “=“ means that you’re assigning a variable or constant to a certain value be it letters or numbers.

[@aname206]

this is groundbreaking for me. thank you.

[@rmrbush]

Yeah but sometimes in story problems or set up problems you will see something like "if x = 3 and y = 7" which is assignment in that context, even though you are technically doing a "math" problem. This muddies the waters a bit for new person. In any case, it's one of the easier things to figure out in programming. Funny this guy talks about loops. I'm self taught and learned the basics from a library book. I had to spend lots of time going through the different types of loops writing out all the silly examples till I finally understood. I never thought I'd crack arrays, it took a solid day. I also remember asking someone once I how return two things from a function and that's the day I learned about array structures. Anyways I taught myself because I had a program I really wanted to write. I spent 6 months learning until I could write a really shitty program. That was 15+ years ago.

[@PedroTricking]

@@rmrbush > Anyways I taught myself because I had a program I really wanted to write. I spent 6 months learning until I could write a really shitty program. That was 15+ years ago. That's a cute story. What was te program?

[@ForOrAgainstUs]

This was so good, I don't even know how good it was.

[@Woji52]

x = this was good y = not sure if this was good You and I = x + y

[@shivamjalotra7919]

@@Woji52 Haha

[@Quasidono]

I think dig this more than JRE

[@moritzgro2442]

Of course, because Java sucks.

[@mountainp800]

☕

[@worldeconomicforum7210]

To me.lex fridman is just the place where all the really smart JRE fans go. When we don't want to hear about working out, comedy, or DMT. I just glad I found him on JRE.

[@veryincredibly]

@@worldeconomicforum7210 Lex also talks about DMT?

[@ironmagma]

He's the hero we need but don't deserve.

[@tkayuniverse3493]

Lex's statement about being ok in a state of confusion speaks to me so much! that is the vast majority of my 2 months or so of getting into cs

[@bennri]

One person's confusion is another's puzzle to solve.

[@ws8061]

It's interesting hearing these guys, I struggled a ton trying to understand recursion until my TA showed me how it worked in memory on the call stack. It seems dumb now but it's interesting how good teachers can really get you understanding concepts.

[@rayyanamir8560]

Bright friends can teach you better than teachers of harvard or oxford.

[@bird6472]

Recursion becomes second nature and very intuitive over time. But often where students get stuck with recursion is that they just don't have a system in place yet for cognitive offloading. Instead of trying to trace everything in your head, try to offload some of that mental processing and cognitive demand onto paper as you go. It'll really help for interviews later too.

[@wagutoxD]

@@bird6472 Recursion! 🤬 I'm having trouble with it. I do write it in paper and I even get the correct "answer"... but that's it. I just repeat the process. I don't really understand it... yet. it still eludes me. I'll get there...

[@bird6472]

@@wagutoxD You'll get there. It takes time and then one day it just clicks!

[@ws8061]

@@bird6472 that's excellent advice

[@iAlberto923]

I am starting to get into programming (One year in) I really wish there were more videos such as this. I have never heard about Charles, but he seems to understand the position that a complete beginner find themselves in, and that's what I would like to have from someone who is trying to teach programming.

[@StormKidification]

How did u start

[@dragospahontu]

How did u start

[@alejandror.2630]

You got a job already?

[@markdeleeuw5446]

@@StormKidification im a wannabe-junior but i started with python to learn the syntax. Just try it for a few weeks or months and you will understand more what you want and what (other) syntax you need to learn.

[@markdeleeuw5446]

@@dragospahontu im a wannabe-junior but i started with python to learn the syntax. Just try it for a few weeks or months and you will understand more what you want and which syntax you need to learn.

[@Maeda_Toshiie]

C was my first language, and I use it from time to time for performance reasons. I like C for its simplicity when doing just raw number crunching. Input and string parsing is painful but the memory management aspect is the most painful of all.

[@mojeedazeez958]

I got admitted into an scholarship academy in Africa (ALX) to learn programming. Lectures started in August and we started with C. Sorry i have to talk about my background. I'm from a art background, i did Mass communication at the polytechnic. I think I really like C because it touches on all the basic roots of programming you need to understand but the painful part is you need to be conscious about memory management all the time. I recently have stopped with the scholarship programme and now taking a course on Udemy for Python.. I thinks C is a great language, I'm sure to come back to it, I just need a less complex bedrock..

[@jacobjohn378]

AHHAHA "Stare into the void with tears slowly rolling down your face". Lex is such a gem.

[@blink182lives100]

Charles Isbell walks a fine line between condescending and humble. idk thats just the vibe I get from listening to him speak

[@mulatto401]

I found him condescending and annoying.

[@morlyfe]

@@mulatto401 hes giving real answers though

[@mulatto401]

@@morlyfe He is giving his opinion, not answers.

[@JayBowles]

Haha very generously put. I wouldn’t be so generous...

[@br2716]

He's an academic. He is likely aware that when it comes to Computer Science, his opinions/experiences are primarily valuable within the walls of MIT, while simultaneously being very disconnected to programming in the open market. That being said, after watching the entire interview, he seems to be very full of himself and makes some pretty bold claims without even acknowledging that what he is saying is a mere opinion.

[@shteakhouse]

Teaching concepts from intro to programming to someone with no background is a real art. That in itself is a problem most of us have trouble solving.

[@ajmalzahir3088]

It’s fun to think back at your mindset from 101 classes till present. Honestly trippy to see the growth so clearly

[@shteakhouse]

I didn’t see the big picture until i took OS. Probably the most fundamental/important class to take imo

[@reasonerenlightened2456]

Why the programming languages are still not self-aware in the 21-st century ! That should really trouble you all.

[@reasonerenlightened2456]

​@Piga What do you think it means. It is time for a new paradigm. (i.e. Computers that ask questions. Everybody is obsessed with building computer languages that find answers. But nobody yet wants to focus on giving them the ability to ask the questions.)

[@DavidBarlowDavido01]

It's called AI. It's potentially very dangerous.

[@bo-bx5hn]

"there's only one language and it's LISP." Alright, what does the other guy have to say?

[@UmBungo]

Theriouthly?

[@peterlewerin4213]

Well, it's getting harder to find a worthwhile programming language that doesn't have Lisp nature these days.

[@matthewwoodard9810]

“The very basics are often not made explicit.” Very very good insight there. This is true in teaching most complex topics, but seems to be especially present in teaching programming. I can’t count the times where I’d finally get a concept and think, “why the fuck do they teach it this way.” Or, “why don’t they explicitly point this out.” Or worse, to understand a concept, decide to dive deeper, listen to “teachers” and start thinking holy fu.. I don’t understand this at all, only to come around and realize my original understanding was correct but the way it’s taught is a convoluted mess.

[@gamias3664]

That guy probably screams out his own name when he's having sex.

[@Wanted_VXRAIL]

Im learning fullstack development right now in school, where u train for 1.5 years here in Sweden then u get released into the workforce as a dev. Honestly, it's fun and stimulating. But also very hard at times and frustrating... I remember being stuck in react for hours, but it ended up being like 4 lines of code that solved my issue. I assume this is what it's like for everyone. But I really like it so far. Not the front end side, I like SQL and c# way more so far, but front end is not that bad.

[@5FT6MAN]

try draw to code for front end

[@mtribe3442]

This episode is incredible. Love the third mind sanity check

[@m7mmad772]

So important and true what lex said that when you are learning programming you have to be ok being confused for a while

[@ajmalzahir3088]

Program not working -> follow errors -> there’s 20 errors and half are in deeper library files -> pull docs -> docs give basic unclear implementation info -> look up examples -> end up on stack overflow, again

[@OmegaF77]

@@ajmalzahir3088 Sometimes the libraries jusst straight tells you to git gud at C/C++ first before using it.

[@yyyd6559]

It's been 6months and I'm still confused

[@billz262]

Who knew that Marvelous Marvin Hagler knew so much about programming

[@Pclub4ever]

Good eye! I knew that he looked somehow familiar

[@TOMinPDX]

RIP Marvin Hagler 🪦

[@DAMfoxygrampa]

This man and Paul Graham have absolutely convinced me to learn lisp

[@BLawwat]

I thought he said list and I searched for that. I'm 57--should I be thinking about programming at all?

[@youtubesuresuckscock]

Lisp blows. Compete waste of time in 2021.

[@DAMfoxygrampa]

@@BLawwat If you're interested in it then absolutely man, if you have a mind like an engineer then you'll find programming to be a lot of fun. It doesn't necessarily have to be your future career.

[@wills242]

@@BLawwat yes please, man! And please encourage any of your curious friends to do the same! If I could talk with more old guys about basic basic code lingo it’d bridge so much of a gap! A big shortcoming of the world rn is the digital disconnect !

[@brigittetitte4415]

@@youtubesuresuckscock rather...?

[@GohanBurner]

I am only a couple months into my coding journey and the fact that I understood all of that really gives me hope. Maybe this is something I was supposed to do. I always thought I could never grasp these things but they actually came naturally to me. It's making this whole experience fun.

[@gumbo64]

keep going :)

[@imsudipp]

Best of luck man

[@kindleboje713]

As an IT recruiter, I don’t pretend to know how to write code (though I’m trying to start learning the basics). But I see most of the Fortune 100 using or moving to Java. I’m surprised Java and JavaScript aren’t mentioned here. Would love thoughts from other developers though!

[@kwamemyers6689]

How do I become a recruiter?

[@petropzqi]

Lex please talk more about this void feeling, I bet we all can relate to that when it comes to programming

[@Gonzalezluis89]

Hey, what do you mean? I’m just getting into programming. So I don’t know what you’re referring too. Can you explain what you mean about this void feeling? Thanks

[@groovy3443]

Unc is so sassy lmaooo

[@faismasterx]

I hate programming so much, but I have great respect for programmers who've built the technologies of today's modern world that we can't live without.

[@jamalabdulnaaser1026]

the arrogance

[@thebxsavage]

print(“What’s up Lex!”)

[@NatePerdomo]

What a great communicator. He's like the CS version of Neil deGrasse Tyson but somehow more pretentious.

[@bobdoggy4312]

I'm 45 years old. Starting small changed careers drifting away from nursing while swinging hard into in bits with front end and python. Web dev is so far my goal while starting out my first year in BS CS, Im feeling happy learning.

[@kompila]

Good luck Doggy!

[@co6672]

i have a sufficient experience with Microsoft SQL, working with scripts and queries managing my work database. I've always wanted to get into coding, just been scared I may not be smart enough to understand...

[@thehazarika]

I started learning programming before I can read English properly. It took me 8 years to understand memory management and pointers.

[@brigittetitte4415]

Wtf, 8 years?

[@thehazarika]

@@brigittetitte4415 Yeah, I am dumb.

[@brigittetitte4415]

No dont get me wrong, im just wondering how difficult these topics are lol

[@thehazarika]

@@brigittetitte4415 It is not that difficult, I started learning programming from an English text book, and I barely knew english back then. So learning both C and English at the same time may be why I took 8 years

[@johnford2517]

@@thehazarika It wasn't until recently, while talking to someone who's had to deal with this issue, that it dawned on me how unfair it is that all non-English speakers have this extra barrier to writing code. One of those things that you just have to accept but really puts people, especially those who don't use Latin alphabets, at a disadvantage.

[@prabhdeepsingh5642]

This is not a good way to look at programming. If you want to write compilers then by all means learn all the ins and outs of programming. But if you want to create apps you dont have to dig deep. Gone are the days when each kilobyte of memory was like a gold nugget and every program took many seconds to run. Now the powerful hardware we have can handle a little bit of mess in your code. Also programming languages are developed with the intention to keep the intricacies of the machine/assembly language out of coder's mind. You can pretty much ignore whats happening under the hood. Its same like when operating a camera you dont have to know how to paint portraits. Thats the whole point of having a camera, that without knowing about the painting process you can have your picture just by a button click. I guess one should never ask an expert on how to learn something. Their answers will always lead you to believe that you have to spend years learning it.

[@waynegnarlie1]

I learned Microchip assembly (MPASM) first. I still use it and love it.

[@waynegnarlie1]

@@TimoNoko Never heard of Cosmac, and from your description, I'm thankful, lol!

[@fahrankamili7931]

I wouldn’t show this video to a programmer newbie. I feel like Cahrles Isbell like to make simple things complicated (too abstract). Explaining for loop shouldn’t be hard. Sure you can go super abstract when explaining about it, but that’s just you being pretentious

[@FuzzyDunlopification]

I think python is a great first choice. One of the problems with learning python on the internet is that a lot of people seem to use python without the OOP approach. I ended up learning without the OOP approach until I learned the advantages of OOP.

[@judgedbytime]

good comment

[@almoszold5011]

Python is a very versatile language with tons of use cases, some of which don't really need an object oriented approach. I use it many times when I want to automate something, just as a scripting language and it's almost always easier to just use basic data structures like maps, arrays and tuples to achieve most of what I want to do. This is especially true for beginners. You'll want to first understand loops, if statements, functions, recursion and other basic stuff, before dwelling into a programming paradigm about abstraction, methods, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism. Once you understand the basics, you can discover the benefits and drawbacks of object oriented design.

[@murtajiz545]

Same situation here; love the language, but man it makes you miss out on SO MUCH.

[@ancestraldiaspora]

This was helpful. I felt stuck at a beginner python level for a while. Not because the language is difficult to learn. But it's difficult to articulate my ideas as code.

[@meilyn22]

So true bro.

[@seniorreact9627]

Commenting so the KZbin algorithm suggest more videos like this for me.

[@AllGrindNoGimmics]

Can someone explain the xyz variable riddle? I didn't get that.

[@RationalSteve]

Learning Python and SAS, and It's been tough to stick with it. This helped. I wish everyone luck on their journey of becoming better.

[@rilamountain9311]

Python ok, but what about SQL. Aren't there benefits to learning SQL?

[@mattordiway1955]

I am completely in love with programming right now. I mean just the process of problem solving is so fun, and I actually hated it when I was attempting a CS degree. I have no idea what changed other than a maturing view of the world...Anyway all the love to Lex

[@iordanchis2437]

That x=3, y=4 now x=y exercise is the kind of thing that gets me curios. Reminds me of our teachers back in school explaining a concept. It felt soo good, intimate and engaging. Where can I get that now? Besides school ofc, I'm working now, can't afford to go to school anymore. Name me a book, online course or and app I can learn stuff like this from. Would much appreciate it.

[@phyrr2]

What helped me learn the most was focusing on error handling in regards to UI/UX/QoL issues (started with Python after failing C++). Building a simple program and doing everything I could to break it, then creating fixes to handle said errors. I create data entry forms and do a lot of work in Excel as well, and I cannot stress how much learning basic programming helps in regards to building solutions in Excel workbooks. Things like interactive dashboards and the like need to be resilient when sharing with say your boss or other end users. It also has to make sense and be dependable. The thing is, "programming" has such a wide variety in application it's not just "I'm going to grow up and become a software developer". For me, it was "I'm going to learn data science, including standardization, enrichment, ETL, reconciliation, management/strategy, etc. etc. then apply to marketing automations for a dozen different customer journeys". In the end, learning to code is learning how to solve problems. The better you are at solving problems the more valuable you become in anything you do (especially in any tech field). Working in marketing, having these skills should be required nowadays and at the very least, gives one a huge edge over any non-tech counterparts you may be working with.

[@leialo1267]

"I want to learn programming, what language should I start with?", the answer should almost always be Python. • Python is like trying to learn how to drive automatic. You'll learn how to drive. You'll learn it fast and you'll be able to do it well. • Java is learning to drive a stick shift. Java is the best balance of learning how to program as well as learning how programs work. • C++ is like trying to learn to drive by learning how to manufacture, assemble, and then use a car.

[@clearnandimprove4604]

I have been learning c # for the past few months. Its going alright I know more then when I Started.

[@MV12267]

Great for ETL, visual studio has an SSIS template.

[@BrokenAbyss]

How complex is it? I’m a video editor and want to try my luck at coding, but idk how hard it will be.

[@Cyberspine]

@@BrokenAbyss All programming languages are complex, but some are more abstract than others. For example, assembly is the language the computer operates at, and is not very friendly to humans. On the other end of the scale, Python works much like natural language, where the final code resembles a verbal description of what the code is doing (eg. for each element in list do an operation). C# is somewhere in the middle, where it has these human-friendly abstractions but allows you to also talk to the machine directly. My personal opinion is that you want to start learning with a highly abstract language such as Python, and then gradually move closer to the silicon with languages like C# and C++. The core concepts, such as loops, functions, classes etc. translate readily from one language to the other, so it's possible that you'll be able to learn C# faster by learning Python first. It's a bit like learning to drive with a car with automatic transmission first and then switching over to manual.

[@clearnandimprove4604]

@@BrokenAbyss you can do a lot with it from what I can tell. I have been using it with unity. Learning to make apps and games. I can see it having many other uses.

[@JethroYSCao]

@@Cyberspine well said, though after one gets familiar with the fundamentals, there's a strong case to be made for going in the opposite direction on the abstraction spectrum too, in particular languages in the strongly typed functional paradigm like Haskell, Ocaml, Scala, etc.

[@Youtube_Stole_My_Handle_Too]

That clown to the right doesn't speak like a programmer. Lisp isn't a useful programming language unless you want to sharpen your hygiene. Lisp is not first of all a programming language, but a macro language. There's only one path to becoming a master of programming: ASM -> C - > C++ -> FP. In ASM you learn that everything comes down to adding, comparing, and moving. In C you learn structures (not limited to struct). In C++ you learn advanced techniques that help you keep a huge code base clean. In FP you learn when not to use those advanced techniques in C++. Your end game is C++ because this is where the best compiler architects are. They optimize your code to run the fastest possible way. This is the most important thing, especially because there's no more Ghz, no quicker flip flops, and if you want to do interesting things with your programming skills.

[@kontranorth6159]

I’m learning to code right now and this was very insightful. I have a mathematical oriented brain and the syntax seems to be my biggest issue and now I know why.

[@dragospahontu]

@Hitchcock Mason yes, but your brain needs to be mathematically oriented.

[@dragospahontu]

@Hitchcock Mason give it a shot, it's kinda cool

[@aufkeinsten7883]

@Hitchcock Mason I've always hated maths in school and love programming.. Don't rely on what others tell you for an important decision like this, just give it a shot if you have some time on your hands. Even if you're working full time or are going to school, take a few hours of free time every week and see for yourself! Don't judge what you're able to achieve or how "fast" you learn, just whether you enjoy programming and learning it. If the answer is yes, then there is a place for you in software engineering. What's important is the affinity towards logic & tinkering, which has absolutely nothing to do with high school maths. There's fields of software engineering where you'll never use more complex mathematical concepts than the ones taught in high school!

[@Diogolindir]

​@@aufkeinsten7883Im taking my time in learning python and Im enjoying it and I don't even what I really want to use it for yet. I just enjoy to write and learn from my mistakes or when I get stucked.

[@Thenamesjohnnymeow]

Learn data structures and algorithms AND MATH ! Lots of it ! Please don't neglect math ! Data structures and algorithms are the foundations of computer science - which, contrary to popular belief isn't the study of computers. It's the study of computational problems, and computers are just tools to solve those problems - to execute algorithms. Coding is just translating ideas. You have ideas and you develop them and then you pick the programming language and you translate the idea into that language. You can't write a physics engine, without knowledge of physics, even if you may be a really good C programmer. Writing code is just translation, it's secondary to the idea. If you have already written the full algorithm in pseudocode, you're halfway there, all that you need to do now is translate it and you pick whatever language you need for that. If you can't explain what your program does in plain English, Math and a bit of art, you're probably not going to be able to code it

[@meowcat64]

00:6:09 breaking it down to its primitives, very interesting and useful take on programming

[@hassanjacobs7506]

First principles thinking

[@mulatto401]

Calling bullshit on building Pacman in an afternoon. Shit graphics or not.

[@juangil6227]

ok, I'm in 4th year of computer engineering and I had to find out what the damn thing is LISP

@@AnonymousQwerty I think he is able to google "Lisp"

@@AnonymousQwerty He wrote: "I had to find out" meaning I've studied CS for 4 years and until today I havent heard of Lisp, so I googled it.

[@kiankok84]

@@AnonymousQwerty I appreciate your answer 🙏. Save my time from Googling it.

[@lylewyant3356]

Pascal was one language I studied 30 plus years ago. Now, trying to learn C# with Unity.

[@ChrisAthanas]

Assignment in programming is not the same as mathematical equivalency That Fucked me up for years

[@ChrisAthanas]

I wish the computer science people used a different symbol for assignment other than the = sign.... Pascal used := I would have appreciated something like

[@SufferDYT]

@@ChrisAthanas If you look at the documentation for any language your using it will tell you these things. You had this misconception for years?

[@ChrisAthanas]

There werent many docs back on 1978 for a kid like me

[@SufferDYT]

@@ChrisAthanas This came with your c64. www.commodore.ca/manuals/c64_users_guide/c64-users_guide-03-beginning_basic_programming.pdf page 35

[@ChrisAthanas]

@@SufferDYT yea but my math teacher couldn’t explain this

[@easyDoes1T85]

… On the next episode of ‘How I Died a Virgin’

[@cosmomind3373]

I know but what University is doing is that they give pressure to all students ..when i started programming language in collage i was exploring that language but in next sem they started with another language so ..i have to learn that without my interest just because University exams ...so that first PL can't be skilled even if i want to ..so that's the case ...that's why I don't like collage environment to learn .

[@SaidThoughts]

Yeah, we have the internet, but unfortunately the beginner information is difficult to find. The from scratch experience or a feeling of 1 on 1 teaching. Most good information is paid information, and even a majority of KZbin videos don't teach you anything, and only suggest sites or which one they decided to learn to write first. Suggested information is not the same as informative.

[@ssgtblackmamba7991]

As someone who's learned the very very very basics of python, the fact that I could understand and answer his question correctly makes me feel really great and motivated to keep going.

[@369pendulum]

How long ago did you start?

[@ssgtblackmamba7991]

@@369pendulum about a year ago for like 2 months, then I had to take a break because our second was born, new job, selling our house, buying a house that still needed to be built and starting on a bachelor's....so I got a bit busy XD I'll pick it back up in about a month.

[@juanitoqueintin5908]

How do I start? I’m a finance major and I want to get into the finance side algorithm programming part !

[@sibbyeskie]

When I first got into programming this talk (languages, etc) got me endlessly excited. Now syntax is hard to get excited about. It’s all the same basic formal structure. Now when I see experienced guys still get excited about this, it usually means they aren’t making much that is truly creative. Like an artist spending most his time admiring his paint brushes and testing them out for insignificant differences, but rarely actually painting.

[@prabhdeepsingh5642]

Thats what I was thinking. For a while I got confused that there must be something really deep that these guys are talking about, which I am unable to understand.

[@erikpost1381]

They're not talking about syntax, at least not exclusively, but about semantics, which is ineed a deep subject. Programming languages do not have 'the same basic formal structure', although many languages do indeed have much in common.

[@buttslaya]

I guess programming in LISP makes you think about things in a different way? I agree with you about learning to program in different languages though, without doing deep dives into a particular language its really all the same. Look up Haskell school of music if you are looking for a cool application for code. I've been meaning to give that a run myself.

[@qlee50]

I agree, language structures don’t mean much except minor learning curve friction while you’re writing code. The higher level libraries, frameworks and SDKs that enable you to combine and build useful tools, functionality and bring joy to users are what really matter

[@josemaria_landa]

MMM. As a hobbiest compiler/language designer syntax/semantics always excites me haha. So many different and cool languages: Lisp Haskell ColorForth Clean Standard ML J Prolog

[@PeterParker-ot8pl]

I can’t even spell in English. Something I have been doing for a very long time. I will NEVER learn correct syntax..........