Are coders just DATA PLUMBERS | Let's Rant!

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[perrinromney]

I'd like to see you start a podcast. Let me know if I should say please.

[SimpleHumanInNY]

I work with 2 Software architects (tech leads) one has a masters in computer science, and the other has a degree in anthropology, both doing the exact same thing.

As if that wasn’t enough to make one wonder, their manager(dev manager) is a MBA in marketing.

We are not in the 90s anymore.

[eveypea]

I agree with what you are saying on the whole. Where most of the confusion comes from is confusing the terms 'developer' and 'engineers'. It does have a parallel with the construction industry.

Developers use high level languages and established frameworks to construct an end product fit for general consumption. Think of a building company that constructs a building. They use establish standards, frameworks and documented products to construct something that the average person would not be able on their own from scratch. The plumber using a sealant, epoxy or other form of material did not create them from scratch. Instead they are able to look at existing solutions and their documentation bring them together as part of a constructed product. In a lot of ways, most coders would fall into this category of 'developers' and not be actual engineers.

Engineers? They are the ones doing the hard math and scientific testing to ensure that a construction component's design or required equipment for installation is able to meet the task needed by the developer. The more complex the needs of the construction project there is, then it may necessitate the addition of engineers in the development team. This applies to both software development as well as the construction industry

[Catluvr]

A girl in tech here 🙋🏻‍♀️just wanna say thank you for addressing this. Going into CS I was intimidated by how smart I have to be in order to succeed in my field. While that's partly true, I also realized after working in the industry for almost 2 years that you can't just make it out by being "smart". You need to be good at problem solving, communicating, and collaborating with other people to work towards your shared goal. I SO agree with you on the more diversity we have in the this industry the bigger the impact we're going to make on the world. Love your rants :)

[isitluk]

Joe Rogan interviewed John Carmack and John Carmack had a great definition of an engineer, its being able to work in a system and make it do what you want. Data Plumbing is definitely part of the job!

[Lyrik-Klinge]

That's also my opinion.
I want to build a "palace of though" (Memory Palace), represented in lines of codes, because code is as beautiful as Marble column.

[mi]

You deserve a million subs, people and companies made it hard for new people to enter in this industry.

[imad_uddin]

Its interesting to see someone underrating his own profession, inviting competition and insulting plumbers. I am from finance side by the way and found your rant really encouraging. I came here searching for your channel after watching your absolutely fabulous, out of the world four hour python course.

[David-tici]

I've had the same thought. As I first started out I had all these innovative ideas. But as I continued learning, I realized that working for a company is very much like maintenance and expansion on an idea that has already been implemented. structuring data, linking code together etc. Being a good programmer isn't reinventing the wheel. But implementing and connecting wheels already invented. Atleast that's what most companies hire you for :)

[itsmariaa]

Mike, I'm so HAPPY you started to post again. Your HTML and CSS tutorials just started my whole coding journey. I'm enrolled in a bootcamp rn and I'm the one that literally helps the teacher explain better to other people what some tags mean thanks to YOU. I'm SO thankful, I literally felt so dumb until i found your tutorials, nothing was sticking. I would be so lost in the bootcamp without these courses before. Thanks so much for everything, I owe you my future job lol! Going to JS next

[SolotaireKid]

in contrast, I'd say that even a plumber is kind of engineer. A plumber also engineers how various things fit in together to form a system. And that is what an engineer does right?

And as for the thing about technical work not being done today, I feel that every generation builds on the work that came before. Like even the people that we think that did hard technical work, even they built on what was before. And we are doing the same.

And another thing is, that as we learn new things, we kind of don't value what we learn. A personal example. There was a time when running a select join query was daunting to me. But not anymore. So I see the SQL I know as a skill that's not that tough to acquire. But I still do value and look in awe at the amazing SQL statements that advanced developers write. Just because I don't know how to do it. I think all this is subjective

The reason you can say that anyone can do it is precisely because you know it. For a housewife that learns how to develop a stopwatch for Android, that act is engineering. Even if it is not something complicated.

[kez]

I always thought the same, there is a thing in elixir called piping and it makes a lot of sense. The technicality is the difference between creators and users(devs) like those who create the framework/language and the dev who use the said language/framework. This is why if someone asks, i'm just a typist lol.

[klingonxxxxxx]

I took a Bachelor in CS when I was 40. There is a huge difference between how I code/think/understand before and now. Before bachelor I was only a programmer, now I can jump to 3D modelling, sniff my network, connect sensors to a RaspPI, compile a kernel and there is no limitation to what I could do with a CPU if I am given a bit of time to practice. Compared to a non graduate programmer my comprehension of complex code is deeper. Even teaching benefits from my study. You'll likey not be so good in explaining concepts if you would not be an engineer.

[Mario]

I am a beginner in coding and building apps, trying to get an old app over to the web from QB6 so I am relying on people like you to help and you have. I watched a lot of your older videos which helped me and your new ones really speak to your new found experience, it really comes through. I was trained as a mechanical Engineer back in the 70's punching cards for PL/C, fortran and APL actually on a live terminal at Cornell, but I have to say this coding now seems so convoluted. I understand my skill base is not really a professional programmer but I have taken a few courses over the years in Pascal, C++, C and taught applications courses in quick Basic and VB6 and have graduate courses in CS so I have the theory. I have to confess I am having a hard time getting started with HTML, CSS, JS, PHP and SQL. I have taken some on line courses, watch YT videos daily and also hired a mentor which has helped tremendously but it is a slow process.

So bottom line, I am finding it tough but I am pushing through but seems like it would be easier to program in 2021 then in 1975.
I appreciate your help as an educator, that is where I spent most of my career, great to see the passion.

Thanks for listening

[janya]

i'm currently studying python, and your videos have really helped me ace it. thank you ! you're amazing :D

[pavelgolin]

Mike, your attitude toward this very conventional things are very appealing. This is very progressive, very radical and very open-minded
. Thumbs up. Keep doing this!!! This is a very fresh approach which we were in lack of for a very long time. Keep hyping on it!

[theultimatereductionist]

I peaked in my coding skills when I took Fortran in summer 1981 at local community college,
ran a programmable calculator into the ground for Physical Chemistry 1983-1984 at college for my BChE Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree, and took two semesters of C++, summer + fall, 2005, at the same community college.
The more years I have put into struggling with coding, the less I know. I know less now after doing coding (I do only Python now) after 41 years of interacting with computers than I did when I took Fortran and C++ in school.

[patrickc.]

I completely agree! It's amazing how gracious a term, "software engineer" can be... People in the field like that term because it sounds super pretentious, just like "computer programming paradigm".

[jonathaneidam]

These Let’s Rant videos have been priceless. We need more of your perspective. Keep it up 👏

[lordlucan]

I've always called it data shovelling, only a few of the web projects I have witnessed could be called 'plumbed'.