Why should everyone understand code

2023-1-12 20:47| Publisher: 5566| see: 335| comment: 0|come from: Financial Times

abstract: Bush: Developing and deploying algorithms and machine learning is one of the most exciting developments today, and being able to understand code is as important as reading one's mother tongue. I don't expect you to understand this1975yearUnixIn the source code of the sixth edition, it was later printed by computer geeks inTT-shirt, mug, pullover ...
Bush: Developing and deploying algorithms and machine learning is one of the most exciting developments today, and being able to understand code is as important as reading one's mother tongue.

Why should everyone understand code478 / author: / source:Financial Times

I don't expect you to understand this1975yearUnixIn the source code of the sixth edition, it was later printed by computer geeks inTT-shirts, mug and pullovers also appear on Tote bags with the inevitable arrival of an unpopular season. The cultural rebirth of this sentence and the reason why it has become a battle slogan for programmers around the world have inspired the title article of a new collection of articles about the most important computer code in human history, as well as how the assumptions and choices made by programmers have shaped our world today.

'I don't expect you to understand this' is sometimes used to comment on the arrogance and inaccessibility of computer scientists. This is a bit unfair because Dennis Ritchie wrote this sentence(Dennis Ritchie)Later on, it was explained that this sentence "was meant to convey the meaning of 'this will not appear in the exam', rather than an impolite challenge".

Unfortunately, this challenge is often unintentionally used as an excuse not to try and understand. In the UK, such examples are everywhere: whenever someone proudly says they don't know how microwaves work; Or as an actor Simon Peg(Simon Pegg)Claiming that Prime Minister Richie Sunak(Rishi Sunak)Enable all students in England to receive mathematics education until18The ambition of the year is to transform the labor force into a "drone force composed of data input robots", which is exactly what it is.

In wealthy countries, the UK is an outlier, allowing students to abandon math or science courses in the early stages of school, which is often seen only as an economic and social issue. It is undoubtedly correct to say that it is an economic and social problem: poor computing power and understanding of statistical data limit the work that people can do, inhibit social mobility, and cause skills shortage. But it is also increasingly becoming a moral issue.

Why? Because one of the most exciting developments in public policy and private enterprise is the development and deployment of algorithms and machine learning to solve complex problems. If used properly, these new tools can solve difficult problems and promote transparent discussions about trade-offs.

But to reap these benefits, politicians, business leaders, and ordinary people do need to have a basic understanding of basic concepts. They don't need to understandUnixEvery brace and asterisk in the source code is like a person outside the legal profession who does not need to know every dot and comma in the criminal code. But we do hope that politicians, CEOs, and other leadership officials have sufficient language skills to understand sentencing guidelines.

More importantly, most governments instruct officials to use simple and understandable language in communication precisely because they correctly believe that all citizens should be able to understand what their governments are doing and why.

Part of the problem is that, broadly speaking, we believe that people who cannot read their mother tongue are victims of some external tragedy. At least, their parents and teachers have disappointed them, or they have experienced some terrible misfortune. We believe that we have reason to believe that compulsory education should at least enable you to effortlessly understand the Supreme Court's judgment, even if the case is quite complex.

Even in a country as opposed to mathematics as the UK, it is widely believed that everyone should be able to do basic arithmetic when leaving school. But we did not consider the fact that ordinary politicians simply do not have the ability to serve as technical service specialists or regulators. We are not particularly uneasy about the fact that ordinary voters leave school without the ability or knowledge to truly understand the debate about the fundamental principles of computer code.

The good news is that once we realize that technological and literacy skills are equally important for people to become knowledgeable citizens of democratic countries, policymakers do not need to reinvent existing effective methods to solve problems.

For example, in West Midlands County(West Midlands)The mayor can provide basic skills training for project managers who have previously worked in other industries to serve as project managers in the electronic gaming industry in the region. Providing similar courses for lawmakers and legislators will make them better technology regulators and commissioners. A deeper understanding of the relevant trade-offs will make government ministerial officials aware that voters actually need to understand this.
"Small gifts, come to Huiyi to support me"
No one has offered a reward yet. Give me some support

Latest comments

Back to top