The Biggest Lie: Passion
- Natural aptitude for abstract thinking is advantageous in programming.
- Background in math gives an edge in algorithms.
- Passion is about enjoyment, not necessarily being the best.
- Dismiss claims that passion is a prerequisite for programming; they are gatekeeping.
- Skills in logic and problem-solving (physics, math, chess) increase the likelihood of success.
- Combining passion with innate skill creates an unstoppable force.
The Copypaste Lie
- Relying on AI and Google for every minor inconvenience fosters mediocrity.
- Improvements occur when one independently analyzes error messages and deduces solutions.
- Understanding the problem allows for targeted searches when external help is needed, avoiding "vibe coding" or "copy-pasting inshallah," which leads to poor performance.
Linear Progress
- Progress in programming is not linear; time spent does not directly equate to skill improvement.
- Five years of basic, unchallenged work doesn't lead to significant learning.
- Knowledge acquisition is more like a network graph, building understanding through diverse experiences and exposure.
- Extended focus on a single language (e.g., spending 6 months grinding Java) won't instantly make one a master.
Optimization (Developer Environment)
- Conventional optimization (e.g., Kubernetes for few users) is understood.
- Developer environment optimization concerns tools and setups.
- Fancy hardware (ortholinear ergonomic keyboards) or software configurations (Ghosty, custom Vim keybindings, de-bloated Chromium) do not inherently make one a better developer.
- A basic stock terminal MacBook can outperform an overly optimized setup.
- True improvement comes from fundamental learning (e.g., Holy C, developing an OS).
Dogmatism
- Programmers often exhibit dogmatism (e.g., "Functional programming is superior," "OO is garbage," "Design patterns are useless").
- Programming is a craft, and tools have advantages and trade-offs.
- A good developer knows which tool to use, not adhering to one dogma.
- Dogmatism is more suited for social media or marketing than actual programming.
- The constant discussion around how to do the job is a positive aspect of programming, allowing for choice in tooling.
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- Included in Notion business and enterprise plans.
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