In this episode of Secrets and Stories on enki.com, Bob Ippolito shares his journey through the world of computer programming and the lessons he's learned along the way. As co-founder of Mochi Media and Board Chair at Mission Bit, Bob has a unique perspective on how to navigate the intimidating landscape of coding. He approaches programming not just as a skill, but as a tool for problem-solving. His advice for beginners is simple: find a problem you're passionate about and start there. This approach bypasses the fear of the unknown and makes learning a byproduct of curiosity.
Bob's thoughts on theory versus practice in learning programming are refreshing. He suggests that while a solid foundation in theory is critical, it’s only meaningful after some hands-on experience. This flips the script on traditional education methods that front-load theory. Bob compares this to learning math; you wouldn't dive into set theory before mastering basic arithmetic. This insight is crucial for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the breadth of knowledge in computing. Bob encourages a focus on small projects to build confidence and understanding before tackling the broader landscape of software theory.
Throughout the episode, Bob’s ideas highlight the importance of motivation in learning. He emphasizes learning as a result of action rather than preparation. In a way, Bob suggests that programming is about discovery. You don’t need to know all the answers before you start; in fact, starting with questions—and the drive to answer them—can be more rewarding. This resonates with a broader audience beyond programmers; it’s about approaching any field with curiosity and pragmatism. It’s the same philosophy that makes platforms like enki.com valuable for users looking to expand their understanding through hands-on learning.
For those interested in computer science education, Bob's role at Mission Bit offers a glimpse into how coding can empower youth. He speaks to the impact of providing free education and the challenges of expanding access to it. Bob’s leadership focuses on strategic planning and fundraising, aiming to foster a new generation of problem-solvers. His work underscores the value of accessible education, a principle that aligns closely with the mission of enki.com: to make learning engaging and relevant for everyone. Tune in to explore how Bob’s approach to coding can inspire a more intuitive path to learning, no matter your starting point.
Nemanja Stojanovic: What about, um, So one thing that's, ubiquitous about coding is that people find it intimidating, your starting point is a different age of computing than today.
So I'm curious, both in, like, do you have any, like, timeless advice for someone who feels intimidated that would apply in either era, but also relevant to today. Now we have stack overflow, we have a bunch of stuff. So do you have any advice for someone who's intimidated to get started?
Bob Ippolito: I think the best thing you can do to get started is to find a problem that you'd want to solve.
That involves some sort of automation or, or something that, that programming is the right solution for, and also find out how to make it small enough in scope that you don't have to learn everything, right? Like if you want to make games, maybe try and make chess or checkers rather than an MMO as your first project.
So if you can find something you're interested in, that's kind of the motivation to learn. Then that's really helpful. Like everything that I've learned, I learned because I was trying to solve a problem. I wasn't really learning it for its own sake, for the most part.
Nemanja Stojanovic: Do you think it's, you know, what's the balance between theory and projects? What's your philosophy on that?
Bob Ippolito: Well, I think that theory is great. Um, you know, at a foundational level, like, it's very important to have the theory to know what works or what doesn't, especially at scale. But as an individual learner, I think that theory only makes sense after you have, a little bit of hands on experience with the application. I mean, similarly, if you're learning mathematics in elementary school, you learn how to add and subtract. You don't start with the set theory foundations of mathematics.
You don't even concern yourself with that unless you're a math major, 20 years later. And I think the same is true for for computing you should really start with the things that you want to do and focus on the application of it. Then you should get to the theory, once you have a little bit of intuition about it, a set of problems you're trying to solve and it seems like, maybe there's something connecting all of these. I should learn a bit more.
And I think that's a great reason to dive into the theory. I think you should have some, problem driven motivation to learn the theory rather than starting with the theory because I find it very hard, to be motivated to get very deep into something theoretical if I'm not also applying it at the same time.
