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Computers are theoretical constructs as well as practical objects. In order to work with the practical object "computer," you should first understand everything possible about the theory of the theoretical construct "computer." Then, when you understand it, you can code however you like. To put it another way: > Before I understood the Art, a punch was just a punch, a kick was just a kick. Then, while learning the Art, a punch became more than a punch, a kick more than a kick. Now that I understand the Art, a punch is a punch, and a kick is a kick. Notice the removal of the "just"—now the underlying knowledge (the "more") is attached to the concept (it is not a pure concept, existing "just" for itself), but it is also understood that that the "more", learned while studying the Art, is perfectly described by the words "punch" and "kick"—that those high-level concepts are just abstractions for the low-level concepts learned while studying the Art. It's a crutch to rely on concepts without understanding their foundations. (This is what I meant with my original conclusion, vague as it might have been.) However, having learned those foundations, you can decide for yourself, on a case-by-case basis, whether to think in terms of the high- or low-level concept, and indeed the high-level is sometimes the perfect tool for the job. But it's not the perfect tool for everything—and only studying the Art of Computer Science will show you why. |