quote:

Coding is political
I've often been asked why I care so much about helping people learn to code. I've always responded by saying that code is power, and learning to code gives you power. The more you understand code, the more you understand how much impact tech platforms and products have on people's lives - whether through the implementation of specific features, or the lack of implementation of certain features. It matters little whether these impacts are intentional or not. When you've built a platform that a significant part of society uses for communication, for example, your code has direct impact on society itself. When you write code that helps determine who gets a loan, you impact who can afford to buy a home.
It is abundantly clear in the US, and in many places around the world, that those who have power are desperate to hold on to that power, and are willing to use force - "any means necessary" is an all too common phrase - to hold on to that power. And that force is disproportionally, to a mind-boggling degree, used against Black people, Indigenous people, and anyone who can be classified as a minority.
As you learn to code, please be aware of the power you are gaining. As you work on projects, whether your own projects or those that are controlled by someone else, please focus on projects that share power. Please refuse to work on projects that consolidate power, especially for those who will use it against others.

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Originally posted by SW_Sig:
The last time I remember you talking about coding you were trying to sell a ring in the classifieds here.

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Currently, there isn't an option to [insert requested feature here] but that would be a nice enhancement in the future.

I will forward your request to our dev team.

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Originally posted by konata88:
Ironically, likely written by a liberal lefty unwittingly describing the liberal left.

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Originally posted by jbcummings:
Probably only via Para’s comet. I’m not sure there’s a real way to avoid it anymore. I walked into a grocery store today and got accosted by a mask wearing clown handing out face diapers. All for a few dollars of odds and ends. Geez!

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Originally posted by mark123:
but this garbage is just mindless. It's just so inescapable though.

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Originally posted by radioman:
Hey, I've been tasked with learning Python too. Same thing, used C# some years ago.

I haven't gotten very far yet. What online resources did you find and what books did you find useful?

If I get stuck along the way, can I get in touch?

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Originally posted by Rey HRH:

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Originally posted by mark123:
but this garbage is just mindless. It's just so inescapable though.

Actually, Mark, whatever they guy's politics may be which sound like he's a liberal or worst a leftist liberal, what he says that you quoted is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

Coding is power and politics is about power. So coding is political because politics is interested in all the forms of power.

So you can't fault the guy for stating what may be obvious but is true anyway.

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... that force is disproportionally, to a mind-boggling degree, used against Black people, Indigenous people, and anyone who can be classified as a minority. ...

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Please refuse to work on projects that consolidate power, especially for those who will use it against others.

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Originally posted by scratchy:
Murach's Python Programming is a decent resource.

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Originally posted by parabellum:
That Monty Python thing sounds interesting.

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Originally posted by parabellum:
That Monty Python thing sounds interesting.

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Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
No it doesn't.

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Originally posted by SPWAMike0317:
Interesting statement on coding is political.

After 40 years in IT I can say without equivocation it's a total bullshit perspective.

All knowledge is power. The Internet has provided tremendous access to knowledge. It is up to the consumer to chose wisely.