This makes it much less surprising. Anecdotally in my social circle it seems that people who have had studied math or physics seem to easily pick up programming.
I know at least two people that got $70k+ programming jobs after only about three months of study. Not sure what “genius” means in this context.
I know very little so it is hard to judge for me. I would be impressed by someone with no programming experience who could write a post like this, after three months of study, without a previous math or computer science background.
And (for the avoidance of doubt) that author doesn’t in any sense lack “a previous math or computer science background”, although he says he’s a programming beginner. He’s a first-rate physicist and the author of an important book on quantum computing. So I’m not sure what XiXiDu is saying here; that Nielsen’s level of insight is what it takes to deserve the label of “programmer”? (No.) Or that Nielsen is a genius? (Maybe, but so what?) Or what?
I know at least two people that got $70k+ programming jobs after only about three months of study. Not sure what “genius” means in this context.
What did they do before programming?
One was a physics grad student, the other a mathematics grad student. Both had some prior experience with basic Bash.
This makes it much less surprising. Anecdotally in my social circle it seems that people who have had studied math or physics seem to easily pick up programming.
I think that’s exaggerated. From what I understand it was more like one $70k and one $40k, after something like 6-8 months of study.
That said, anyone with anecdotes like this is invited to share them. They sound cool, and give one hope for this world.
The 40k one wasn’t the one I had in mind, but I’ll accept your correction re the 70k one.
I know very little so it is hard to judge for me. I would be impressed by someone with no programming experience who could write a post like this, after three months of study, without a previous math or computer science background.
That author’s level isn’t necessary to make a living at computer programming.
And (for the avoidance of doubt) that author doesn’t in any sense lack “a previous math or computer science background”, although he says he’s a programming beginner. He’s a first-rate physicist and the author of an important book on quantum computing. So I’m not sure what XiXiDu is saying here; that Nielsen’s level of insight is what it takes to deserve the label of “programmer”? (No.) Or that Nielsen is a genius? (Maybe, but so what?) Or what?