Sunday, January 25, 2015

Why Geeks Should Write

                Common languages, such as English and French, and their writing can be very ambiguous and free form. It contrasts greatly with programming’s straight forward, unambiguous style. This often raises the question of ‘why geeks should write?’ Although one could plan with flowcharts, planning through writing is as useful and common. In addition writing allows many geeks to share and revise the work of each other. Geeks should write because of the planning benefits and the programming community formed by languages.

                Programming languages are very much reliant on common languages for planning. In the real world, a client will almost always explain what they want through writing, and it will be up to the programmer to understand and plan. If geeks were to not write, the skills processing the common language to programming language translation would be very weak. They need to understand how to filter a client’s writing into a clear, unambiguous order, and then create a map of how to proceed on their project. A geek cannot simply convert any written order into code.  In addition a geek needs to be able to communicate their complex code to others in their community through writing.

                The largest, most vital programs in our world are designed by teams and large communities of geeks. Thus code must be easily explained and displayed for other members of a community. Although code is straightforward and unambiguous, it is difficult for people to process properly as the reason behind the code is not displayed. Through writing one can explain what their code means to others so it may be further refined. Also, one can learn from others more efficiently through the written explanations of their code. These mentor-pupil interactions within a larger community will bind all geeks into a colony, allowing for massive projects to be completed efficiently, and properly.


                Writing allows for a clearer, more efficient planning of a program from an order. The large programming communities are strung together by mentor-pupil interactions via writing. Through the planning benefits, and mentorship brought by writing, geeks should write. This however does not dismiss other vital processes such as flowcharts, as these logical planning routes should be used in sync with written plans.

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