Warning: My town's free coding workshops are always full.

Coding is becoming essential for everyone now.

3 comments

3 Comments

I just don't buy that it's essential for everyone. It's a useful skill for sure, but most people will never need to write a line of code in their daily jobs. The bigger issue is that we should be teaching better general computer literacy, not pushing everyone toward full-on programming. It feels like another hype train that leaves people feeling behind for no real reason.

elizabeth_garcia1d ago

My friend Alex works in marketing, and she spent hours every week copying data between spreadsheets. A coworker showed her how to write a simple Python script to do it automatically. She didn't become a programmer, but that tiny bit of code saved her a whole workday every month. Makes you wonder where that line really is between computer literacy and useful coding, doesn't it?

the_karen1d ago

Take that marketing example. She used a Python script to save time, but was that coding or just smart computer use? Many people hit walls with basic tasks like data entry that could be automated. If we teach better computer skills, shouldn't that include showing how to automate repeat tasks? Where do we draw the line between knowing how to use software and making it work for you? Is calling one literacy and the other optional holding us back?