I wonder how much of this mess is because people get introduced to these concepts(Generics etc) through wrong languages.
Now, there is a very similar problem with concepts like recursion. Even Algorithm, DS and problem solving in general. You never get to learn this stuff well because you get drowned in syntax juggling, type headaches, absence of good features to do recursion, first class functions, mutability, closures, pattern matching, and data handling etc well.
I find learning these things in ML or Lisp languages simplifies the problem to a great extent. You basically learn to how to solve problems and then how to use the right tools to solve the problems. Instead people chose tools that send them solving infinite sub problems to arrive at solving the real problem. Most people tune out, and rightly so. Efficiency comes after correctness in any approach. And you should never optimize for speed to begin with.
Most people getting introduced to programming in Java/C++ are generally digging through layers and layers of code trying to do what should be done simply in a straight forward way. This is often made more complicated by addition of frameworks and opinionated way of forcing people doing things in a way that requires them to go and read and work through an entire history of software literature. All the while you could just write code to solve the problem.
Design Pattern abuse is very common in OO world. And people for some reason like to write a lot of code sometimes for something as simple as writing a few lines of code.
I am self taught in C++. I learnt it when I realized my BE FORTRAN wasn't going to enable creating GUI simulation. I did have a few hiccups like any beginner but soon it was alright, so have no idea what it is like to be formally taught in class.
As for Lisp and ML, being Indian, I had no access to these, even in CS section of the library, as you might understand. Many years ago I tried learning Scheme by/after watching the lecture series. I even have the book SICP. It is fun and elegant, refreshingly so, no doubt, but only till a point. I found once we venture into necessity for conditionals & data mutation, its unbearably cumbersome - I can deal with spaghetti C code but not this - may be I am conditioned by exclusive C++ usage. I tend to think those who stick to Scheme like languages and solve real world problems do it for bravado and cry when no one is looking lol.
As for design pattern, I don't see it being exclusive to OO. Its just a bunch of ideas to build software. One would have it for assembler as well if it was used for mass production (I wonder how it was in early days when it was exclusively assembler). Its certainly poorly used and abused, agreed.
kamaal|6 years ago
Now, there is a very similar problem with concepts like recursion. Even Algorithm, DS and problem solving in general. You never get to learn this stuff well because you get drowned in syntax juggling, type headaches, absence of good features to do recursion, first class functions, mutability, closures, pattern matching, and data handling etc well.
I find learning these things in ML or Lisp languages simplifies the problem to a great extent. You basically learn to how to solve problems and then how to use the right tools to solve the problems. Instead people chose tools that send them solving infinite sub problems to arrive at solving the real problem. Most people tune out, and rightly so. Efficiency comes after correctness in any approach. And you should never optimize for speed to begin with.
Most people getting introduced to programming in Java/C++ are generally digging through layers and layers of code trying to do what should be done simply in a straight forward way. This is often made more complicated by addition of frameworks and opinionated way of forcing people doing things in a way that requires them to go and read and work through an entire history of software literature. All the while you could just write code to solve the problem.
Design Pattern abuse is very common in OO world. And people for some reason like to write a lot of code sometimes for something as simple as writing a few lines of code.
vinayms|6 years ago
As for Lisp and ML, being Indian, I had no access to these, even in CS section of the library, as you might understand. Many years ago I tried learning Scheme by/after watching the lecture series. I even have the book SICP. It is fun and elegant, refreshingly so, no doubt, but only till a point. I found once we venture into necessity for conditionals & data mutation, its unbearably cumbersome - I can deal with spaghetti C code but not this - may be I am conditioned by exclusive C++ usage. I tend to think those who stick to Scheme like languages and solve real world problems do it for bravado and cry when no one is looking lol.
As for design pattern, I don't see it being exclusive to OO. Its just a bunch of ideas to build software. One would have it for assembler as well if it was used for mass production (I wonder how it was in early days when it was exclusively assembler). Its certainly poorly used and abused, agreed.