Comments by "Jeffrey Phipps" (@jeffreyphipps1507) on "3 Coding Projects to Break the Coding Barrier (w/ Instructions Included)" video.

  1. In other words, learn to identify what your inputs will be, what your outputs will be, and how to go from point a-to-point b before you head to a computer to code. Coding is easy once you know how to develop ideas. I was taught assembly language after being taught how to set out the inputs, outputs, and flow. We had to learn to write steps to go through. What inputs will we need (with output prompts), what outputs from computation will we need, and what computation steps were required to get there? We were first taught via geometry proofs and statistics. Not the best way, but did get me to understand step-by-step via geometric proofs, and a little statistics (mainly for looping). However, I was taught that a simple step-by-step process led you to know where to go next. Don't get bogged down by the big picture, just take baby steps until you get where you are going. When I took assembly language on the mainframe (before all of you young people had home computers), we had to draw flow charts and draw up plans for input/output, then a plan for the program. If that was approved by the instructor, we were allowed to code and then do a desk check - pretend you are the computer, use data, and execute the code line by line on paper. If that was approved, we could schedule time with the card punches (yes, I'm that old) to punch the program and data. Then I took the cards to the system operator (SYSOP) for execution. a few days later you could pick up the cards and the printout. That was the cycle. If you had coded right, you turned in the assignment. If not, you went back to find where you failed. I then took two semesters of COBOL, a semester of FORTRAN, a semester of RPG, a semester of BASIC, and an optional semester of ALGOL or Pascal (I took both - I was paying for it, one more wasn't going to break me). C didn't exist then, I picked it up later. The assembler I took was S/360 BAL, I later got microcomputers and learned 6502 assembler, Z-80 assembler, and ultimately moved to x86+ assembler and I learned Motorola 68K assembler. I have yet to consider learning the newer RISC assembler concepts at my age. I learned many dialects of languages (BASIC, Pascal, C/C++/C#/Java/JavaScript/TypeScript/ECMAScript, RPG/RPG III/RPG400/ILE RPG, database languages leading up to SQL, etc.). I learned new languages like Perl, Python, Ada, Natural, Supernatural, Lisp, Prolog, Logo, Pilot, and so many others that I forget to name here. Then there's shell scripting languages. Early shell languages could not be considered languages per se, but each later generation added necessary structure to make them full scripting languages. Almost 60 years of programming has taught me personally one thing - students in schools don't get the startup understanding they need. They're pushed into a programming language course and onto their computer and told to find answers on the Internet. Regrettably, most examples on the Internet are at best sloppy or at worst wrong. Worse, it gets to the point where programming instructors don't even interact with students and students get stranded in dead-end degrees.
    24