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I was just reading the thread about teenage programmers. I'm rather young, (21), but if you ask me, I don't think that programming at the age of 7 is normal. Seven year olds are supposed to go play with friends, get involved in sports, and have fun. I really miss those carefree days now that I have a career. I just don't understand why they would start so young. When I was 7 I was more concerned about getting my cursive penmanship right than figuring out how a computer program worked. There was no way that when I was 7 that I could organize and comprehend half of the stuff I know now. I know that there are many out there younger than me that know a lot more than me (in the way of programming), so enlighten me.
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It's because the people have even less of a life than me.... which is very unhealthy in my opinion,... :rolleyes:
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Not so, Dennis. Programming, as opposed to playing games
and searching the web, requires a bent of thought that is
not found in "natural" humans.
Humans generally think in terms of a gestalt. Thus, when a
non-computer programmer starts telling me of the project,
you can bet your next paycheck that what she/he thinks is
difficult will not be....and vice versa.
Personally, I think people should not learn programming
until they are about 16.
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Same reason I wouldn't allow anyone to pitch prior to 16:
You're brain (body) is not set up properly until then.
Realize that 16 is somewhat arbitrary, but a useful
construct, nonetheless.
Stepwise, heirarchical and relational thinking requires a
specific mindset. It's not that it can't be learned, but
it begins to take on a life of its own. Young children
just do not have the life experience to necessary to both
grow up as thinking humans and be programmers.
As an experiment:
Ask someone who learned to program at a very early age (say
8-12) how you would program a robot to get up in the
morning. Most probably he/she will mull the problem over
and start with "open my eyes". ANY ONE WHO IS NOT A
PROGRAMMER WILL NOT.
Of course the joke is that they get out of bed, brush their
teeth, have breakfast,.....all with their eyes shut. This
is humourous when you point it out to them. But it shows a
distinct method of thinking on the part of the programmer
that is not necessarily healthy.
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That was one of the first types of questions we were asked when I started school for programming, but we had to list the steps to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I didn't do so good the first time, but it did really open my eyes to how you need to think.
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I was asked that peanut butter and jelly sandwhich question in life science, in 7th grade.... whoever gave an acceptible answer won a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, I was one of the two people that won a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich.
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I forgot to untie the twist tie on the bread bag, I forgot to get the butter knife out of the drawer, I never opened the jars of jelly and peanut butter, and I never put the knife in the sink when I was done.
BIG FAT 'F'.
(Thank goodness that was only a practice one.)
I did much better on the next one, but I can't remember what that one was about.
(I would have never eatten a P & J sandwich from my Life Science teacher. He was really weird and who knows what kind of poisons he would have like to put in it.)
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We also had to do another one.... it was how you would put your shirt on....
I can't remember what I got on that one....
