What are some 'hard truths' about programming? - CS50 Office Hours 2020

Office hours are an opportunity for students online to ask questions about any of CS50's courses, questions about computer science, questions about programming, and the like.

In this clip: What are some "hard truths" about programming or computer science that you think a beginner is better off knowing rather than learning the hard way?

Recorded 18 June 2020

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David J. Malan

[itslemah]

I'm Mechanical engineering and cs50 at the same time. Someone to wish me well in this journey

[nfuel]

Biggest truth: you need to have the attention span to sit on a chair for hours in a stretch.

[gooba]

Learning how to google things properly! Programming is the most open-source subject available on the web and even then you feel so stuck-like you don’t know anything. Try to remember you’re learning an ever-evolving subject, there is always help available, and don’t over-complicate yourself. You’ll get there

[worst]

cs50 does a really great job. keep up the good work!

[FJ.Y]

10+ hours a day, for the past week...and I am still stacked at pset1. I already got the solution but "why did the person who solved it approached the problem like that", that is where I am stack at.

[BekBrace]

Thank you CS50 and all the team for making this accessible to the whole world 🌎

[meherali]

You all are best teacher ever.... I am your cs50 student. Thank you

[ParthPatel-isdk]

one of my favorite parts of this office hour

[DreamVikings]

Ive been doing the weekly lessons at a monthly rate. Yes, it is glacial progress.
Right now im stuck at the end of pset5. It feels like a mid year test, and that the next lessons should be a bit easier.
I was tempted to skip and go into the next lesson (python) but every time a clicked play I felt guilt xD.
So in the end im still stuck at PSET5, but I wont drop it until its done.

[napukapu]

I'd hire the dude with the wall of board games. Especially for Gloomhaven.

[inderjeet]

It's easy writing a layout or thinking how you want to approach a problem, but the real challenge is actually coding it

[swojnowski]

Fast pace of changes. If you think you are good at driving a car on a motorway, start developing software in a large team. The driving is a way slower process ;)))>

[darshandesale]

Those who have started following in 2020 like it