Do you think programming training is useful, like Tick-the-Code (TTC) or any of DoFactory training? If you ever participated, do you recommend spending time and money on them?
+1
A:
Useful? Depends on who the attendee is. If you pay attention, network with others, and make an effort to be educated, they're very useful and many times very worth the cash to attend.
Devdays is coming soon, since we're on this topic ;)
Jonathan Sampson
2009-08-24 13:04:23
The cache or the cash? Or the cache of cash?
Telemachus
2009-08-24 13:05:10
Oh wow...sounded right in my head ;)
Jonathan Sampson
2009-08-24 13:06:04
@Jonathan: No worries. I actually thought it was a deliberate pun. Go with that version.
Telemachus
2009-08-24 13:06:54
@Telemachus - Guess I have something to add to the "Bad Habits from Programming" Question :)
Jonathan Sampson
2009-08-24 13:12:04
+3
A:
This would depend highly on your background, if you have no experience what-so-ever, then you might find it useful. However, I have found that the best way of learning to program, is by programming. You pick up and understand lessons alot more if you are in a situation where it directly affects you. Plus the answers you find will stick with you, and be more useful to you.
Irfy
2009-08-24 13:05:20
A:
I've been on both ends of training courses; I took a few training courses in Java and I have taught a few Python training courses. I think that the biggest factor in the usefulness of a training course is how much you already know. I went into my Java training course already well-versed in Java and didn't get much out of it. The people who came to my Python training course for the most part didn't know anything about Python, and I got a lot of positive feedback (it could be they were just being nice, but I hope not).
Imagist
2009-08-24 13:09:52
+1
A:
To start off cold, I prefer a book and examples. Programming courses sometimes serve as that 'book and example'. I find programming courses are most useful WHEN you have already some background (even minor) in the language. Learning is done best when you have enough mindset to understand common problems and approaches. They are a good followup to touch on topics missed or mis-applied.
CMB
2009-08-24 13:11:01
A:
I all depends on who's paying. If your company is going to pay, take it. If it's you paying then ask yourself do you really need to pay £1400 to have someone take you through a book that costs £30.
Chris Needham
2009-08-24 13:14:36
A:
What is also really important with tutoring is that it is based on real-life needs. For example, I held a MS Word and MS Excel classes in my company (not really programming, but confirms my point). Every attendee was using Word for some use until that, and what I showed them was a lot of short ways to accomplish their daily tasks, and also opened them to some new ways of using it and being more productive. But with Excel, I failed completely. Very few of them was using Excel for work and those few did learn something, but that was not much. The majority just found it very annoying and boring and couldn't find the use for it. So, training courses depend on your audience, their needs and it is important that this has a purpose and meaning to them.
zladuric
2009-08-24 13:18:59