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the way I learn computer languages
Tuesday, October 11 2016
This morning even before work, I was working on a document designed to introduce SQL to complete newbies using The Organization's fundraising database as an example, idiosyncrasies and all. The more I wrote, the more I felt the need to explain. But I decided it best to just lead with examples. I think the best way to teach a syntax is not by listing the rules but by showing the language as it is used. In an interactive environment, such as the one I'd built, one can test the syntax with variations on the examples and developed a solid understanding of how it all works. This is how I've learned most of what I know about programming languages. (I particularly dislike the example-poor documentation present at MySQL's official site.)
The weather had taken a turn for the cold, and it was hard to be comfortable in the laboratory. I went down to the greenhouse for the daily videoconference with the others in my remote workplace, as, on sunny days at this time of year, it's reliably warm down there after about 11am.
[REDACTED]
Unfortunately, Te canceled today's SQL class, which was just as well, since I didn't feel I was completely prepared for it. By that point, I was running an electric space heater in the laboratory. Unfortunately, it initially blew a tiny fuse in the SensorPlug that turns off things in the laboratory when I'm not around tripping its motion sensor. It seems the heater (unlike the computer amplifier, some lights, and the fan) cannot be one of the things controlled by my presence.
For linking purposes this article's URL is:
http://asecular.com/blog.php?161011 feedback
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