Get with the program
Coding is valuable because it not only allows you to solve problems using computer languages, but also helps develop critical and logical thinking. Age is no barrier and you can get started at anytime as there are many free platforms that make learning to
AT THE age of 81, Masako Wakamiya did what most people half her age have yet to do – earlier this year the Japanese octogenarian launched her first mobile app titled Hinadan, an iOS game based on Japan’s traditional Hinamatsuri festival. Players are required to decorate dolls and arrange them in the right order to win.
In an article in Mashable, Wakamiya, now 82, said a “young person” taught her Apple’s Swift programming language via Skype and Facebook Messenger, and the images in Hinadan were made by her friend using “shapes” on Microsoft Office.
Wakamiya’s free app has been downloaded over 42,000 times on the App Store, and she even has posted tutorials on how to create art using Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet program, on her blog. The best part? She only learned how to use a computer at 60.
“People have a misconception that coding is something that you have to learn early on,” says Google Malaysia education head Rahayu Ramli.
“There is enough evidence to show that you can pick it up at any point in your life. If Wakamiya can take the time to learn it, there’s certainly time for other people to do it as well.”
Science of programming
Coding is essentially using computer languages to achieve goals or solve problems, says Women Who Code Kuala Lumpur director Jecelyn Yeen.
“For example, let’s say I have a large database and I need to generate a hundred e-mail messages based on it. I could manually copy and paste the information one by one, but it would be simpler to write a program to customise the output. Coding can be used to save time doing repetitive tasks,” says Yeen.
Wakamiya’s vision was to create an app for the elderly, as most of the available apps are created for the younger generation with nimble fingers.
However, the app also had another purpose.
People who do not know the importance of the arrangements of dolls in Japanese culture may not understand the impact that her app could have on the younger generation. Wakamiya wanted the young to understand the Japanese culture, and reached out in a way that they understood, says Rahayu.
However, Yeen is quick to remind that coding is more than just the act of writing codes. It includes logical and critical thinking, problem solving skills, and more.
“When you learn computer programming, you start to look for problems that can be fixed with coding. You try to simplify your life,” she says.
So many languages, so little time
There are hundreds of programming languages available today, but that should not be a deterring factor, says Rahayu.
“The coding programs evolve over time. Now people focus on Python and Ruby. You may look at different types of languages, depending on what plaftorm you’re working on.
“What’s important to learn is the basic concepts which will generally apply to all platforms,” she adds.
Yeen says that many of the computer programs today are hybrids of the older languages. The common ones are HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), PHP (a recursive acornym for PHP Hypertext Preprocessor), JavaScript, Java, C and C++.
“There are many new kids on the block when it comes to coding languages, but once you understand the core concept, the overhead to study other languages is lower.
“You already have the logic in mind. Of course, you do need time to pick up a new language, but the time will be cut significantly shorter,” she says.
Getting started
Liang Hui Qian has a degree in Psychology, but that didn’t stop her from taking a 10-week “coding bootcamp” at a coding school in Kuala Lumpur.
The entire course cost RM11,800 and she is now well versed in web development, a subject that has always interested her.
“One of the reasons I picked up coding was because I wanted to upscale my skills. I had worked with a tech startup and was exposed to projects involving coding. I was really interested and decided to pursue it later,” said Liang.
She had also attended several coding bootcamps organised by Rails Girls KL, the Kuala Lumpur chapter of a global movement that encourages girls and women to take up coding.
“I had become such a regular fixture at the Rails Girls KL events that one of the organisers asked if I wanted to be part of the organising committee. I said yes,” says Liang.
There are also many online coding courses available, and that is where Tan See Yin picked up her programming skills.
“I was charged US$30 (RM126) a month, and you can work on challenges or projects for free,” says Tan who says that she wasn’t interested in Science and Technology back in school.
“The only experience I had with coding was when I was still actively running my blog 10 years ago. I had experimented with HTML and CSS to maintain my blog, and that was that,” says Tan, a product manager at a tech startup.
Two months ago, Tan attended a coding bootcamp organised by Women Who Code KL, and was introduced to JavaScript. Her interest was piqued, and that’s when she decided to sign up for a two-month online course.
“It was tough, I won’t lie. I had thought of quitting but I was really interested in seeing where this will take me. I don’t want to be a programmer though. I just want to know the science behind things and find out how they work. It’s very interesting,” she says.
There are also many free coding courses available online, says Rahayu.
Google has several programmes, namely Made With Code, an initiative to instil and encourage the love of science and technology in teen girls; Google CS First, a programme to inspire kids to create with technology through free computer science clubs; Google Code-In, a contest to introduce pre-university students (ages 13 to 17) to open source software development.
“Having all these things online means that you can go in at any point in time of your life, at any level of curiosity and find those tools. And that’s with minimal educational qualifications on computer science,” says Rahayu.
She also adds that coders can use Google’s resources like Google Open Source, Google Developers and Google Code Archive to help with their projects.
Apple, on the other hand, offers Swift, a language for writing apps for the Mac, iPhone and iPad, and it is also available for free.
Just get coding
One of the biggest misconceptions about coding is that people think it is highly technical, says Rahayu.
“At first glance, if someone shows you pages of code, yes, it’s a bit scary. It’s nonsensical if you don’t understand what it is. But really, it is about patterns and logic as well,” she says.
“If you take the time to decipher it step by step and learn the basic concept, as opposed to diving into 60 lines of codes, it is something that can be worked through, and some people really have more talent with it. But for the most part, if you have the curiosity and the willingness to learn, the technical part is definitely something that you can overcome.”
She also adds that there are many things you can do with your coding skills, which can eventually turn into a source of income.
“You can start a business and realise that you need the technology layer on top of that, or you can start with a very interesting idea that you turn into an app and then realise that there is an entire business that you can build around it. There is definitely potential to make money off your coding skills,” she says.