> I'm really having trouble with the notion, common on HN, that programmers don't need to understand or be able to code simple data structures.
Well, do they? Being able to code simple data structures is not a pre-requisite to being paid to write code.
I can't base this statement on cold hard numbers, but I feel comfortable stating that the majority of dev positions in the world today do not require this particular skill set.
Thus : no, they (programmers) don't need to be able to understand or be able to code simple data structures.
If the inverse were true - namely, that a large percentage or majority of dev work required knowledge of and the ability to implement basic data structures - then you would be quite correct.
> You might feel OK about what you're doing now, but a career spent redesigning unit test suites and coming up with ever- more- elaborate HTML templating schemes is unlikely to be fulfilling.
That's a bit dismissive. Also, are you speaking generally or referring to me as an individual?
Well, do they? Being able to code simple data structures is not a pre-requisite to being paid to write code.
I can't base this statement on cold hard numbers, but I feel comfortable stating that the majority of dev positions in the world today do not require this particular skill set.
Thus : no, they (programmers) don't need to be able to understand or be able to code simple data structures.
If the inverse were true - namely, that a large percentage or majority of dev work required knowledge of and the ability to implement basic data structures - then you would be quite correct.
> You might feel OK about what you're doing now, but a career spent redesigning unit test suites and coming up with ever- more- elaborate HTML templating schemes is unlikely to be fulfilling.
That's a bit dismissive. Also, are you speaking generally or referring to me as an individual?