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by redshirtrob 1553 days ago
It's also harder to learn to program when you keep running into syntax errors. I suspect that's a big part of the allure of these visual languages.

I don't know if that's good or bad--maybe a little of both. It seems like overcoming syntax errors is a pretty good first-pass filter for determining if one has the mettle for coding. On the hand, not everyone is a professional builder, but it doesn't hurt to know how to tighten a screw or swing a hammer.
2 comments
kazinator 1553 days ago
That has to be the allure because that is precisely the only problem they address: syntax.
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moltke 1553 days ago
The visual equivalent of a syntax error is not being able to find the button/block/thing you need on the screen, or using the wrong block and wondering why you can't find the right control on it, or not hooking up some required reference/wire/whatever.

The advantage to syntax though is that it's all verbal which makes it far easier to communicate. Visual stuff needs multiple images and often video to fully communicate which is slow and more constraining.

>Learning syntax as a filter

Syntax is one of the most universal things about our psychology. The idea that some people have it and others don't seems a little absurd to me.

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redshirtrob 1553 days ago
>>Learning syntax as a filter

>Syntax is one of the most universal things about our psychology. The idea that some people have it and others don't seems a little absurd to me.

Sheesh. Care to put any more words in my mouth?

I said nothing about whether or not someone _could_ learn the syntax of a programming language. My comment was specifically about the difficulty of learning to program while also navigating arcane syntax rules (in the sense they're unfamiliar and rigid) that come with most programming languages.

If you want to write code you'll probably power through it. If you don't, you might decide it's just not worth the trouble.

This isn't a value judgement on the individual. I'm saying it's a pretty good indication if someone has the temperament for coding. If you're unwilling to understand syntax errors, how likely are you to debug your program?

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