Have you ever heard about Linda Liukas? She is a programmer, storyteller and illustrator. She wrote a children's book, Hello Ruby which raised total of $380,000 on Kickstarter. She is involve in promotion of programming and she also tries to engage womens to start programming organising such great event as Rails Girls. She is concious that we are surrounded by computers in our world and we should learn people programming because we need creators which will be changing our reality.
What I think it is awesome in her attitude is a way how she speaks about a programming. It is easy to understand that she loves coding and when I was watching her speach I feel the same. Please watch this speach and answer for questions wchich are on the bottom of my article. I feel that her look at the world will has positive influance on us because most of us are a programmers.
1. Do you agree with her opinion that a code can be treat as a today's poetry?
2. What do you think about her opinion that we shouldn't wait and teach children programming as soon as possible? Do you want teach your children a programming or do you think that a coding world is not so magical as Linda said and there is no rush to start a programming.
3. What do you think about her Rails Girls organization which helps more than 10000 women to start a programming?
Thank you very much for your attention. I hope that at least that Linda attitude makes your day better and gives you a positive energy.
What I think it is awesome in her attitude is a way how she speaks about a programming. It is easy to understand that she loves coding and when I was watching her speach I feel the same. Please watch this speach and answer for questions wchich are on the bottom of my article. I feel that her look at the world will has positive influance on us because most of us are a programmers.
1. Do you agree with her opinion that a code can be treat as a today's poetry?
2. What do you think about her opinion that we shouldn't wait and teach children programming as soon as possible? Do you want teach your children a programming or do you think that a coding world is not so magical as Linda said and there is no rush to start a programming.
3. What do you think about her Rails Girls organization which helps more than 10000 women to start a programming?
Thank you very much for your attention. I hope that at least that Linda attitude makes your day better and gives you a positive energy.
Comments
I don't think that programming is the most important in life and everyone should learn it. Funny thing is a fact that most of programmers that talk how much programming is important have a very little knowledge of geography, medicine, history, poetry etc. In Poland computer science classes are really bad so my opinion look like this: if it would be possible to have good cs classes where kids would be able to learn basics of programming instead of MS office. That would probably do the thing. Also despite programming, some classes could be related with algorithms, IT security etc. I know it's quite hard to find someone that is good at programming and will teach kids instead of being high paid programmer, but it's 21 century, so CS classes could be done online by using Khan Academy or Udemy.
"Rails Girls", hmm... As I said it's 21 century so if you are living in normal country, there is no problem with doing what you want and be women or gay or black etc. at the same moment. That's why I do not like campaigns like "Rails Girls" - is it good plan to promote openness while being some kind of racist at the same time? The main factor that should be consider while making recruiting process is knowledge. I do not have problem if some company consist of only white males for example, assuming that they were the best at the recruiting process. On the other hand, every try of expending knowledge, is a good try.
I think I would try to teach my child programming. Actually I would like to show my child as many opportunities as possible so that in the future he or she wouldn't have a problem what to do in life. On the other hand not everyone has to be programmers.
I think such organizations as Rails Girls are quite a good idea. There are a lot of women who would like to learn programming but for example are afraid of IT studies or something like that.
I think that you understand this presentation in different way than me. I am also not feel as an artist or a poet but a programming gives me a lot of satisfaction and when I code I like a power that I am able to create something which will be used by people and what can makes their life a bit easier.
Of course that programming is not the most important thing in a life but on the other hand we should be concious that now and maybe even more in the future such ability will be very demand by employers.
You are right that companies should hire people not because of their race or sex but only because of their abilities and personal skills. I think that "Rails Girls" is a good occasion to learn something and maybe their organized presentations in the way which will be more interesting for girls than for mens. I hope that if somebody organize a such meeting only for mens, nobody will have any objections.
I don’t think that we should hurry with teaching children programming. It should come naturally through well-thought student’s curriculum. I do opt for more IT lessons in schools, however there should be no obligation for everybody to learn advanced programming.
And what about teaching children from as soon as possible, I don't think that it's good idea. We should teach children to understand things, teach them how to think in programming way and after that we can teach them programming.
I would like to show my children many things. Programming would be one of them, but there is no valid point to make them do it. It should be out of their own will. If they choose it, fine. I'll be there to help.
I think Rails Girls is a product of today's modern ideas mixed with a bit of political correctness. I'm pretty sure many women choose it depending on a bias. I wonder what they would do if they were offered a solid IT studies as one option and Rails Girls as the other?
necessity of writing clean and structured code spoil this genre of literature.
To my mind in our society and modern world it is necessary to teach kids coding from early years, because understanding in programming comes with the time and hard work.
I'm not sure if we should teach children coding. Maybe it'd be good to add some coding classes, but it's not necessary to make them mandatory. Not all people like coding. And, for example, one person likes programming in Java, But another one likes PHP. They both like programming, but the languages are different. And they could not like to code in another language. So, it's complicated.
Yes, I want to teach my children programming. There are many languages created just for that purpose, they make programming enjoyable even for kids. In my opinion, nowadays, where we are surrounded by computers, basic skills of programming is a must have.
I think that every organisation, that helps people understand programming, is a great idea worth spreading all over the world.
Poetry is an art, a place for imagination. Everything here is allowed.
There should be more programming in the high school. It seems to me that these classes are currently only available in information technology classes. The system of computer science in schools should be modernized.
I think her organization is great. Not many women are progmists.
It seems to me that it not a problem with skills and understand the code, but the wrong assumption that it's work only for men.
I think that we should teach children basic computer skills. Our life based on computers and that's why we should show something them.
In my opinion, we shouldn't impose anything. Everybody has own life we can't decide for someone. It isn't said that everybody has to be programmer.
They way she speaks and exaplains things shows that she likes programming and teaching it. Passing on the knowledge, sharing it. Code as a poetry? Well, there is something about well written, elegant piece of code, can't deny that. A simple perfect solution written in a chain of symbols each one having a certain meaning and which cannot work without the other doing its magic behind your eyes or growing worldwide. It's about the magic. ye.
I think it's a great idea to start teaching children programming as soon as possible. Firstly because of nowadays and future demand for such skills but also it fun a great way to induce creativity. Dunno about Rails Girls, I've once ran into one of their python tutorial or something and it was fine. Was surprised that there's such a thing as RailsGirls.
Programming became to play an important role and people, who really do it great can find good job with high salary. Of course, I wouldn't force my children to learn it, if they don't want. Some of us, like me, has interest to it without making and persuading us to learn it.
I reckon this organisation will help thousands of women to start programming even though they're probably from less developed countries or a few of them are just afraid of sexual discrimination at work because of stereotypes.
I think organizations like Rail Girls are important as there are still people who perceive coding as "masculine" and can't imagine women doing it. I think in Poland there is no problem in being a woman programmer or learning to code, but there are still countries where the situation of coding women is not so bright.
As for the programming teaching in young age... Yes, this is good concept, because it will give children better start when solving problems. This is why the (programming) code is made for. And my future kid(s) will be learning it.
And for the final question:
'3. What do you think about her Rails Girls organization which helps more than 10000 women to start a programming?'
Well, if she enjoys it and those women find it useful and/or helpful, then it's OK, but if it's forcing for some kind of a sick 'there should be same number of female coders as the male coders, hurr, durr' than I'm against it. Forced labor or study is dangerously close to German concentration camps.
Rails Girls is good initiative as it is, but I don't like how they're acting like it'd be something unusual to find women programming. It's job for everybody, regardless of gender, we don't really need to promote programming to people that don't like it. This is also why I do plan to teach my kids programming, but I won't force them to go this way if it won't be interesting for them. I personally see writing code as a lot of fun and this is what keeps myself motivated to continue doing so. If it felt like a work where I'm not achieving anything, I'd probably not feel like doing it anymore.
First of all, we shouldn't force kids to learn programming. We should show them how computers work, what you can do with programming and then if they like it it's ok, we can teach them. Otherwise it would destroy the best thing in programming, it would destroy the fun.
I think that any kind of support connected to coding is great. Sometimes women feel more confident when they work with other women and Rail Girls organisation gives an opportunity to do that. I just wonder what's wrong with IT guys that women don't want to learn/code with them and need to create the organisations like Rail Girls which, in my opinion, isolates women and men even more.
Mathematics and poetry are said to have a lot in common; patterns, symbols and symmetry. I think we could draw a similar parallel between programming and poetry.
It is beneficial to enable children to explore as many options as possible so that they can choose what they enjoy best and develop their interests. I wouldn't worry about when to start teaching them programming. If a child shows interest in it (and we could expose them to programming in many ways at different stages of childhood), there should be no age limit.
I have heard about Rails Girls. There is also a similar initiative called LinuxChix. Personally, I have never felt a need to participate in it.
But really i'm not sure about it if programming is like poetry. I see similar things but in my opinion it's not the same. In poetry you should think about various ideologies, in proggraming only about code.
I think that it's good idea to start teach children about programing and coding cause it can be a great fun for them and they can feel that they understand the world of computers like say Linda. It's important for them.
Rails Girls it's amazing idea. Womans are afraid about coding because it was always a profasion for mans. It was a barrier for them. But thanks to people like Linda it is changing now. It's important for me because i am a girl and i like support like this.
And I disagree about the children. I would say, they must learn what "critical thinking" means, how to add numbers on a paper sheet and after that, programming will be easier.
I think her organization is amazing idea, so after 10 years, more women will code
I don't think we should force kids to learn programming but I may be useful experience in the future. I'd treat it like another subject at school - you don't have to know what's calcium but there are times it may be handy.
It's nice that she helps other people and that's all. I don't think you really need to found an organization to encourage people to learn something.