I can't be the only one, but I feel pretty sure I'm in a minority among computer programmers. This "bottom-up" approach is just not the way my brain works. I definitely feel I'm a top-down sort of thinker and learner, and this puts me at a disadvantage, regarding the literature and approach in this profession.
Are the terms describing the two approaches here "empirical" versus "rational"? I'm talking about building bit by bit as opposed to getting an overview and then drilling down. I definitely feel like I benefit from the second. And I almost feel like it may not be too strong to suggest that I'm actively harmed by the first.
Something like the author's approach is great, for my purposes, when I already pretty much understand something. But I can't start here.
Again, I feel like I'm in a minority. But anyone else have this turn of mind, too? How do you cope? Do you just look for other materials?
You put into words what I've been feeling for a long time. So I guess you're not alone. I 'cope' by just turning it around: finding some meaningful project, decide what I want it to be, and then find out one step at a time how to get closer. That starts with me finding out - and then being comfortable enough with - a big overview of the project.
Somehow I keep coming back at the 'work is like a hill' metaphor from Ryan Singer in his book Shape Up (from basecamp). https://basecamp.com/shapeup/3.4-chapter-13#work-is-like-a-h...
I think it would be good to re-package this information, but for me, the critical thing that stuff like this accomplishes is comprehensiveness. You have to go through so many classes at school just to have all the knowledge base covered at all. Everything is compartmentalized by default, so that's kind of the mother of all bottom-up approaches.
Top-down takes time and reflection, and re-packaging.
Are the terms describing the two approaches here "empirical" versus "rational"? I'm talking about building bit by bit as opposed to getting an overview and then drilling down. I definitely feel like I benefit from the second. And I almost feel like it may not be too strong to suggest that I'm actively harmed by the first.
Something like the author's approach is great, for my purposes, when I already pretty much understand something. But I can't start here.
Again, I feel like I'm in a minority. But anyone else have this turn of mind, too? How do you cope? Do you just look for other materials?