Chebucto Regional Softball Club

@mansr

Yeah...

what I'm trying to convey is that there is a *reason* why the code isn't working and it will make sense in the context of the rules the got dang computer is trying to follow.

It might be annoying or silly, but it will "make sense"

@wakame

This is helpful for me. I had a hard time understanding why one student was upset, almost to the point of tears (they are very sensitive) that the error message said "error on line 32" but, really the problem was the way they originally named the variable.

"Why couldn't it just say the error was on line 4? I tried everything I could to fix line 32. 🥺 "

My sweet child... it's just not that smart, not like you.

Things to Try:
* look for typos
* look at what the error message indicates.

If these don't work consider reverting your last changes to the last working version of your code. Then try making the changes again, but be more careful.

If you can't revert the changes, start removing bits of the code systematically. Remove the things you think might cause the error and run the code again. Isolate the change or code that causes the problem.

You can be a great programmer.

2/2

So Your Code Won't Run

1. There *is* an error in your code. It's probably just a typo. You can find it by looking for it in a calm, systematic way.

2. The error will make sense. It's not random. The computer does not "just hate you"

3. Read the error message. The error message *tries* to help you, but it's just a computer so YOUR HUMAN INTELLIGENCE may be needed to find the real source of error.

4. Every programmer makes errors. Great programmers can find and fix them.

1/

My students aren't lazy, but they *can* be a little perfectionist: scared to take risks or sit with not having the answer right away.

They are really upset when their code won't run... but staying calm and *systematically* looking for the cause of the problem, knowing that if you just work through the tree of possible causes you will find it is not something they are good at.

I think I need to teach this.

Maybe I will give them some broken code and we will find the errors together.

@freequaybuoy

"I have the exact same thing as you but it's not working"

99 times out of 100 no, no you do not have the "exact same thing" you've made a typo.

Because the whole point of it being a computer is that if you have the exact same code it always does the exact same things.

I think they become anxious when their code isn't working the same as what I have up on the projector and they want to get it fixed RIGHT AWAY so they won't fall behind.

Then when one of them starts calling out they all do it.

I may take some time to explain this.

This never happens when I'm teaching math. Something about coding makes them forget some of their manners, and become less self-sufficient. "It's broke! I'm helpless!"

What is that about?

Example of the problem:

Me: "OK everyone. Next we'll make this into a function so we can simply call it each time-"

Student 1: "It won't work." (student who wouldn't interrupt like this normally)

Student 2: "Mine's broken too!"

Student 3: "It says error. I have the EXACT same thing as you but it's not working."

This makes me feel overloaded and grouchy. Too many questions at once. What I want them to do is wait until the explanation is done and ask when I'm walking around.

Wanted: Advice from CS teachers

When teaching a group of students new to coding I've noticed that my students who are normally very good about not calling out during class will shout "it's not working!" the moment their code hits an error and fails to run. They want me to fix it right away. This makes for too many interruptions since I'm easy to nerd snipe in this way.

I think I need to let them know that fixing errors that keep the code from running is literally what I'm trying to teach.

@bruce

Sometimes I wish I could be as complex, devious, and imperious as the imaginary person they have decided I am.

@nazokiyoubinbou

I'm still confused by all of this.

@nazokiyoubinbou

In college a group of girls in my year (really good-looking popular kids) decided that I "thought I was better than them" when I was really intimidated by them and apparently talked about this for months before someone brought it up with me "why do you hate Jane, Jill and Julie so much? I think it's awful how you treat them."

I was so shocked and sad that I made everything awkward by going right over to them and asking what was going on.

And we ended up being friends?????

@nazokiyoubinbou

I think this happens to introverts more, and the less expert your social skills the more it's likely to be you.

Do you think that applies? It does for me.

My social skills are very ... synthetic, none of it comes easily. I kind of follow the recipes of how to be nice, they do mostly work, but it's very baffling.

My unwillingness to talk about other people "behind their back" now makes me worry that I'm not a good friend.

I can understand that sometimes we just want to complain and have someone agree that it's a valid complaint. Not "Solve The Problem(tm)" I get that.

But, it's really easy to make up a version of a person who doesn't exist if you never talk to them and just talk about them.

"Oh she's selfish and makes you cover her classes too much? TELL HER." (for example.)

2/2

I often worry that I'm doing something that annoys people, at work, at home, online, on the bus anywhere... and they are just going to be annoyed but never explain to me what I'm doing that's so annoying.

Then, "out of nowhere" someone will blow up at me and be *so mad* when I didn't even know what I was doing wrong.

This has, of course, happened a few times before. It's why I don't enjoy talking about people in a negative way when they aren't around.

That could be ME. Easily.

1/

@derpostillon

I suspect this is a joke but ... the idea of a bunker that could only be entered by paring your camper over it is sort of exciting in a way.

When watching a video to add it to the list choose "Save" from the meatballs menu. Then you can add it to any playlist including the shared one.

You can also add it to a playlist when viewing the video in the search results, or suggestions and subscriptions pages.

(This was not obvious to me for some reason-- but for some reason this whole set of features is buried)

"yesturday" good lord that's a spelling error.

"yesturdee"

Yesterday I made a shared youTube playlist for fediverse people I know and it's been... IDK pretty good.

Things to know:

* sadly you must log in to youTube to use it so many here won't be able to add to it.
* the concept is to just add anything you've watched that you suspect someone else might want to see. Low bar. It's about an alternative to youTube's algorithm.
* You can vote on the videos as a second layer of user filtering.

@thedesert @log

One dawn from the depth of the sofa
a great bed shall arise, the bed forgotten
the bed long folded.

the bed bound up by only the rotting springs of the deep.

Theirin a new throne shall shine
a soft sleeping place fitting for the cat to rule.

The coffee table shall be knocked asunder
the astonished humans? knocked asunder
the plastic usurper? knocked asunder. Shattered even.

This day shall be known in every room: the day the sofa bed was so happily reborn.