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What would your life be without Programming

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closed account (13bSLyTq)
Hi,

I know for sure that if programming were never learnt I would be an teenager who has nothing to do but watch TV and sleep but thanks to programming I have something worthwhile to do and learn.

What do you think your life would be if you never started programming, do you think your life would be better or worse? Or more social or less-social?

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It would be neither better or worse overall and I doubt very much I would be more social. I have a ton of other hobbies to do instead of socializing too much or wasting time watching TV or sleeping.
Oh... I would have wonderful amounts of sleep where I wouldn't have to worry every 10 minutes tossing and turning, trying to think about a solution to my problem.

I wouldn't think as logically. Programming makes you view the world slightly differently over time it feels like. You always seem to want to make things more efficient and it almost drives you mad when things are obviously so inefficient, it lowers productivity of something. This also affected my religious beliefs, although to be fair, I was biased going into religion in my childhood due to certain events.
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closed account (13bSLyTq)
@Mats
you seem like programming is not the only hobby you have, would you like to tell us about what other hobbies you have and if you prefer them over programming or not.

@NoXezema

I'm interested how did it effect your religious beliefs. If you are uncomfortable with this question feel free to ignore it.

Nothing would really change. Take away programming and it would just mean I would be on my laptop less..actually I probably wouldn't even have my laptop as I got it solely to program away from home.
@Mats
you seem like programming is not the only hobby you have, would you like to tell us about what other hobbies you have and if you prefer them over programming or not.


Well programming is quite far down the list if they are listed in terms of enjoyment highest to lowest, probably because it's slowly turning from a hobby to a job, which has happened with other hobbies before, always to the detriment of enjoying doing it. Not that it ruins it or anything, but you just don't enjoy a hobby quite as much when you're doing a hobby in work (at least in my experience).

closed account (13bSLyTq)
@Mats

That's a fair opinion to have, would you also take the courtesy to tell us all whats your top hobby or activity your enjoy the most and why?

@BHX Specter

How much time do you spend programming, and if so what would you do if programming was taken away.

@Mats

That's a fair opinion to have, would you also take the courtesy to tell us all whats your top hobby or activity your enjoy the most and why?


Physics - Nothing is more interesting, bizarre, unintuitive and beautiful as physics. I'm actually at a bit of loss as to why almost everyone goes about their lives seemingly without the slightest interest in learning about how the world around them really works.
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closed account (13bSLyTq)
Same @Mats I always ask the most stupid questions which have the most loveliest conclusions and answers which can revolutionize the world.

I am still in Secondary School and I love physics and in fact I love reading bout it in spare time. I wish to pursue that in A levels

Anyway did you ever do physics as a job?
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OrionMaster wrote:
@BHX Specter
How much time do you spend programming

That is hard to answer as I don't really keep track of the time during the day. I program until I hit a point I need a break and then I check all the sites I am part of or I program until my wife or son needs something. At night I code 2-3 hours (midnight to 2-3am depending on if I am tired pass 2am).
OrionMater wrote:
if so what would you do if programming was taken away.

Nothing. I have my wife, son, games, movies, and other activities that I could do if I had never bothered programming or it was taken away.
closed account (13bSLyTq)
Fair enough, would you ever teach or introduce your son programming. That might be a little more challenging for you?
It reflected on my religious beliefs only because of how the mindset that came with programming changed the way I thought. Try reading the Christian Bible and keeping within the bounds of logical thinking. I found it impossible and almost embarrassing that I once praised such a book... even if it was because I was a child raised into a Christian family. For a time, I would even have considered my self anti-theist because of some of the idiot happenings and rationality that came with religion such as the astounding hatred for those not of your religion, the horrible "arguments" for defending your religion, or the horrible reasoning for doing something because its demanded by your religion. Most of these things go outside the basic bounds of rational thinking most of the time.

Of course, I don't mean to bash and there are always exceptions. A lot of personal beliefs and interests came with programming. I started reading books on philosophy, understood mathematical concepts better outside of just memorizing formulas.

Although to be fair, it doesn't just chalk up to learning programming. Rather, I taught myself to become a better learner, if that makes any sense. I didn't pick up on programming very fast at all. In order to efficiently learn to program, I had to change my methods of learning from those that I had learned in school. e.g. making an example program that does the same thing doesn't really do much for me, especially if I don't improve that program.

And really, the style of learning I adopted kinda of hindered me for a long time. It was slow but I probably have a better understanding of certain things than most people which I'm thankful for.
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Without programming to distract me, I would have obtained my chemistry PhD two years earlier than I did, and I wouldn't have quit science after postdoc. I'd probably be in R&D at J&J PARC or something similar today.
OrionMaster wrote:
Fair enough, would you ever teach or introduce your son programming. That might be a little more challenging for you?

He is 9 and knows I program and knows I make video games as I've made a couple of clones for him, but he doesn't want anything to do with programming or making them (so far). I have no intention to get him into programming unless he wants to.
closed account (EwCjE3v7)
I would just play games :). Yes I would just play games :), though I would hate to miss programming :/
@Cubbi - There is an awful lot going on with chemistry + programming these days (take a look at the last chemistry Nobel prize for example!). Have you never been tempted to pursue a career combining these two things?

Anyway did you ever do physics as a job?


No.
I have no intention to get him into programming unless he wants to.
If I may, I think this is a little misguided. I was introduced to programming more or less by chance, and I think I would have otherwise never stumbled upon it on my own.
At least show him the basics and let him decide if he wants to stick with it or not.
@Mats I know, I used Karplus's work so much in the past, it was awesome to see his name up there. I wouldn't love doing science, but as a C++ programmer, I'm making more than 9 times my old postdoc salary. It's easy to get used to.
I am really late to the game here, with something like 13 replies? But I did think this was an interesting question.
Anyway, my life would be entirely different. Before I started programming, I thought computers were for total nerds and I was a whole football jock douchebag. Then my cousin (aka one of my best friends) introduced me to html and I fell in love with it. As soon as I got back home, I looked up programming languages and began learning C++. It made me think logically, like most other people on this site seem to say, and I quit football after logically thinking about it, and realized it was just a waste of time for my future goals. Now I am one of the biggest nerds in my school and I've become cynical against the thing I was before programming (a narcissistic douche).
And yes. I am a LOT less social now :D

Oh, and like NoXzema my religious beliefs changed too
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closed account (13bSLyTq)
@NoXzema

Pretty interesting, have you ever heard of universe being a cosmic simulation? Its pretty interesting philosophical thought.

@BHX

Why not introduce it could get him interested and maybe even pursue it in future and currently with the job industry its a good idea if he could start now? Feel free to prove me wrong

@Mats

Would you say programmer would improve physics skills in terms of thinking an thought experiment through completely because of our logic and we consider all points or an normal person.

@Cubbi

You seem really annoyed at Programming, but do you regret learning programming?
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