[ale] [OT] Helping others learn C, D, X, Y, Z, EIEIO...

[Jim Kinney]

Yeah!

'Cause I can't present at every ALE Central meeting forever!  :-}

All joking aside, this is what ALE has done loosely for 20 years; take
something you know or want to know and show it to or learn it with others.
ALE did this specifically with Atlanta Linux Showcase. This is a very good,
on going process that ALE can do to organize itself around. Maybe we can
get to the level where we can get some big names sponsored for travel to
Atlanta to speak or teach on a specific topic.
On Dec 15, 2015 7:09 AM, "Leam Hall" <leamhall at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'd like to encourage those of you who are decent to very good programmers
> to consider what we're doing as a calling.
>
> Recently I took a C based pre-test for a software security course (
> https://class.coursera.org/softwaresec-008). Realizing that I guessed
> more than I was comfortable with is one of the big things that drove me to
> re-learn C. That, and a stack of books from previous failed attempts. I've
> resolved to either learn C or give away the books. Being a bookworm, that's
> motivation!
>
> Your conversations have pointed out something many of us unskilled
> programmers have heard of; there are other skills and tools to be learned
> when moving from example code in a book to putting "coder" on a resume.
> Things like lint, TDD, gmake, coding standards, etc.
>
> Would you consider a "Next Steps" course starting in April or May? While
> the LCTHW-90DW is a 3 month challenge, it is based off the learning idea
> that the early stages of any new and difficult project are discouraging.
> With just 2-4 hours of C it can be hard to glimpse the possibility of
> becoming a kernel hacker. However, there comes a point (~20 hours per Josh
> Kaufman) where you're still a rank beginner but things aren't so painful.
>
> By the time someone is through the 90 day challenge they will have enough
> discipline and pleasure to take on new tools. Maybe you run a one month
> "TDD with C" program, or "Dive into Pointers"? Or maybe you like some of
> the Coursera classes and offer to help mentor alongside the classwork? The
> security class is one option, there are Algorithm classes, Java classes,
> and a bunch of Python things going.
>
> There seem to be several of you who are good at this. Could you talk
> amongst yourselves, come up with a list of "new programmers should have
> these skills", and pick one to mentor? If each of you did one to two "skill
> months" a year, and there were 4-6 of you, we could just about fill the
> year!
>
> Here are some of the things that have come to mind while reading your
> notes.
>
>         Pointers
>         Kernel module basics
>         TDD
>         Secure coding
>         Large project management (splint, gmake, SDLC)
>         Assembler basics
>         Code profiling (gdb, valgrind)
>         Systems programming on Linux
>         Algorithms
>
> Thoughts? Could we go so far as to resurrect a project like splint or
> something and bring it forward? Or help people transition into kernel
> janitors?
>
> Leam
>
>
>
>
>
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