As We May Code – The art (and craft) of computer programming in the 21st century
It is now 50 years since Knuth published the first volume of “The art of computer programming”. This and the succeeding volumes (still being produced) form the definitive and monumental achievement in traditional algorithmics. However, the practice of programming has changed dramatically in recent years. Some changes are obvious: the use of technology in coding – from coding forms and punch cards to IDEs; the languages for coding – from Fortran and assembler to JavaScript and bytecode; and even the paradigms of coding – from procedures to objects. However, there are also more subtle, and possibly more fundamental changes that transform the way coders now think about their code and the very act of coding and hence affect centrally the understanding of the psychology of programming. In this talk I will try to draw out some of these changes writing from experience as a HCI ‘expert’, as a teacher and, perhaps most importantly, as a coder.
