Submitted by suJan shrestha (not verified) on March 7, 2008 - 12:40.
I wake up with the alarm, take shower, have my breakfast, get ready and go out. Catch a bus/train on time, go to work/study/training and come back home on time so that I can watch the football match on TV. Just like the way bus/train should run on its time, TV should be broadcasting as programmed. I can only function well if everything that I rely on is functioning as planned. May be I programmed myself for a day this way and next day I can probably change or adjust as well. I adapt my lifestyle to what I want or need and what is available for me. But I'm not a programmer because I do certain task on certain time or because I know how to setup an alarm on my mobile or because I know how to use my TV's remote control.
Programmers write, test, debug and maintain the source code of programs. They make things work and users just use them. I'm simply the user. If I can't use them, then maybe that program/device hasn't been designed with users in mind or maybe that system is not working as it was programmed or maybe I don't have a necessary understanding. The level of understanding needed to use the programs definitely depend upon the complexity of the program itself. User will not be able to use the program if he/she has no knowledge of what the program is about. Just like the way I can manage to play a football video game but can not play golf because even though I may have understanding of how this gaming device work but have no knowledge of the game itself. But the programmer need to be fully aware of the context and also know the programming language. Everybody can think and dream, but programmers need to create (code) and make them work as well.
Tools and technologies are rapidly evolving and simplifying our needs. However, new usability concerns and complexities will keep on arising as it is not easy to code the natural interaction process to the programs. But the time will probably come when our tools will be like our childhood: an invisible foundation that is quickly forgotten but always with us, and effortlessly used throughout our lives (Weiser M. 1994). Thanks to programmers, then we users will never even think ourselves as a programmers.
Don't call me a programmer!
Submitted by suJan shrestha (not verified) on March 7, 2008 - 12:40.
I wake up with the alarm, take shower, have my breakfast, get ready and go out. Catch a bus/train on time, go to work/study/training and come back home on time so that I can watch the football match on TV. Just like the way bus/train should run on its time, TV should be broadcasting as programmed. I can only function well if everything that I rely on is functioning as planned. May be I programmed myself for a day this way and next day I can probably change or adjust as well. I adapt my lifestyle to what I want or need and what is available for me. But I'm not a programmer because I do certain task on certain time or because I know how to setup an alarm on my mobile or because I know how to use my TV's remote control.
Programmers write, test, debug and maintain the source code of programs. They make things work and users just use them. I'm simply the user. If I can't use them, then maybe that program/device hasn't been designed with users in mind or maybe that system is not working as it was programmed or maybe I don't have a necessary understanding. The level of understanding needed to use the programs definitely depend upon the complexity of the program itself. User will not be able to use the program if he/she has no knowledge of what the program is about. Just like the way I can manage to play a football video game but can not play golf because even though I may have understanding of how this gaming device work but have no knowledge of the game itself. But the programmer need to be fully aware of the context and also know the programming language. Everybody can think and dream, but programmers need to create (code) and make them work as well.
Tools and technologies are rapidly evolving and simplifying our needs. However, new usability concerns and complexities will keep on arising as it is not easy to code the natural interaction process to the programs. But the time will probably come when our tools will be like our childhood: an invisible foundation that is quickly forgotten but always with us, and effortlessly used throughout our lives (Weiser M. 1994). Thanks to programmers, then we users will never even think ourselves as a programmers.