essay on computer programming

Essays on programming I think about a lot

Every so often I read an essay that I end up thinking about, and citing in conversation, over and over again.

Here’s my index of all the ones of those I can remember! I’ll try to keep it up to date as I think of more.

There's a lot in here! If you'd like, I can email you one essay per week, so you have more time to digest each one:

Nelson Elhage, Computers can be understood . The attitude embodied in this essay is one of the things that has made the biggest difference to my effectiveness as an engineer:

I approach software with a deep-seated belief that computers and software systems can be understood. … In some ways, this belief feels radical today. Modern software and hardware systems contain almost unimaginable complexity amongst many distinct layers, each building atop each other. … In the face of this complexity, it’s easy to assume that there’s just too much to learn, and to adopt the mental shorthand that the systems we work with are best treated as black boxes, not to be understood in any detail. I argue against that approach. You will never understand every detail of the implementation of every level on that stack; but you can understand all of them to some level of abstraction, and any specific layer to essentially any depth necessary for any purpose.

Dan McKinley, Choose Boring Technology . When people ask me how we make technical decisions at Wave, I send them this essay. It’s probably saved me more heartbreak and regret than any other:

Let’s say every company gets about three innovation tokens. You can spend these however you want, but the supply is fixed for a long while. You might get a few more after you achieve a certain level of stability and maturity, but the general tendency is to overestimate the contents of your wallet. Clearly this model is approximate, but I think it helps. If you choose to write your website in NodeJS, you just spent one of your innovation tokens. If you choose to use MongoDB, you just spent one of your innovation tokens. If you choose to use service discovery tech that’s existed for a year or less, you just spent one of your innovation tokens. If you choose to write your own database, oh god, you’re in trouble.

Sandy Metz, The Wrong Abstraction . This essay convinced me that “don’t repeat yourself” (DRY) isn’t a good motto. It’s okay advice, but as Metz points out, if you don’t choose the right interface boundaries when DRYing up, the resulting abstraction can quickly become unmaintainable:

Time passes. A new requirement appears for which the current abstraction is almost perfect. Programmer B gets tasked to implement this requirement. Programmer B feels honor-bound to retain the existing abstraction, but since isn’t exactly the same for every case, they alter the code to take a parameter…. … Loop until code becomes incomprehensible. You appear in the story about here, and your life takes a dramatic turn for the worse.

Patrick McKenzie, Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names . When programming, it’s helpful to think in terms of “invariants,” i.e., properties that we assume will always be true. I think of this essay as the ultimate reminder that reality has no invariants :

People’s names are assigned at birth. OK, maybe not at birth, but at least pretty close to birth. Alright, alright, within a year or so of birth. Five years? You’re kidding me, right?

Thomas Ptacek, The Hiring Post . This essay inspired me to put a lot of effort into Wave’s work-sample interview, and the payoff was huge—we hired a much stronger team, much more quickly, than I expected to be able to. It’s also a good reminder that most things that most people do make no sense:

Nothing in Alex’s background offered a hint that this would happen. He had Walter White’s resume, but Heisenberg’s aptitude. None of us saw it coming. My name is Thomas Ptacek and I endorse this terrible pun. Alex was the one who nonced. A few years ago, Matasano couldn’t have hired Alex, because we relied on interviews and resumes to hire. Then we made some changes, and became a machine that spotted and recruited people like Alex: line of business .NET developers at insurance companies who pulled Rails core CVEs out of their first hour looking at the code. Sysadmins who hardware-reversed assembly firmware for phone chipsets. Epiphany: the talent is out there, but you can’t find it on a resume. Our field selects engineers using a process that is worse than reading chicken entrails. Like interviews, poultry intestine has little to tell you about whether to hire someone. But they’re a more pleasant eating experience than a lunch interview.

Gergely Orosz, The Product-Minded Engineer . I send this essay to coworkers all the time—it describes extremely well what traits will help you succeed as an engineer at a startup:

Proactive with product ideas/opinions • Interest in the business, user behavior and data on this • Curiosity and a keen interest in “why?” • Strong communicators and great relationships with non-engineers • Offering product/engineering tradeoffs upfront • Pragmatic handling of edge cases • Quick product validation cycles • End-to-end product feature ownership • Strong product instincts through repeated cycles of learning

tef, Write code that is easy to delete, not easy to extend . The Wrong Abstraction argues that reusable code, unless carefully designed, becomes unmaintainable. tef takes the logical next step: design for disposability, not maintainability. This essay gave me lots of useful mental models for evaluating software designs.

If we see ‘lines of code’ as ‘lines spent’, then when we delete lines of code, we are lowering the cost of maintenance. Instead of building re-usable software, we should try to build disposable software.

Business logic is code characterised by a never ending series of edge cases and quick and dirty hacks. This is fine. I am ok with this. Other styles like ‘game code’, or ‘founder code’ are the same thing: cutting corners to save a considerable amount of time. The reason? Sometimes it’s easier to delete one big mistake than try to delete 18 smaller interleaved mistakes. A lot of programming is exploratory, and it’s quicker to get it wrong a few times and iterate than think to get it right first time.

tef also wrote a follow-up, Repeat yourself, do more than one thing, and rewrite everything , that he thinks makes the same points more clearly—though I prefer the original because “easy to delete” is a unifying principle that made the essay hang together really well.

Joel Spolsky, The Law of Leaky Abstractions . Old, but still extremely influential—“where and how does this abstraction leak” is one of the main lenses I use to evaluate designs:

Back to TCP. Earlier for the sake of simplicity I told a little fib, and some of you have steam coming out of your ears by now because this fib is driving you crazy. I said that TCP guarantees that your message will arrive. It doesn’t, actually. If your pet snake has chewed through the network cable leading to your computer, and no IP packets can get through, then TCP can’t do anything about it and your message doesn’t arrive. If you were curt with the system administrators in your company and they punished you by plugging you into an overloaded hub, only some of your IP packets will get through, and TCP will work, but everything will be really slow. This is what I call a leaky abstraction. TCP attempts to provide a complete abstraction of an underlying unreliable network, but sometimes, the network leaks through the abstraction and you feel the things that the abstraction can’t quite protect you from. This is but one example of what I’ve dubbed the Law of Leaky Abstractions: All non-trivial abstractions, to some degree, are leaky. Abstractions fail. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. There’s leakage. Things go wrong. It happens all over the place when you have abstractions. Here are some examples.

Reflections on software performance by Nelson Elhage, the only author of two different essays in this list! Nelson’s ideas helped crystallize my philosophy of tool design, and contributed to my views on impatience .

It’s probably fairly intuitive that users prefer faster software, and will have a better experience performing a given task if the tools are faster rather than slower. What is perhaps less apparent is that having faster tools changes how users use a tool or perform a task. Users almost always have multiple strategies available to pursue a goal — including deciding to work on something else entirely — and they will choose to use faster tools more and more frequently. Fast tools don’t just allow users to accomplish tasks faster; they allow users to accomplish entirely new types of tasks, in entirely new ways. I’ve seen this phenomenon clearly while working on both Sorbet and Livegrep…

Brandur Leach’s series on using databases to ensure correct edge-case behavior: Building Robust Systems with ACID and Constraints , Using Atomic Transactions to Power an Idempotent API , Transactionally Staged Job Drains in Postgres , Implementing Stripe-like Idempotency Keys in Postgres .

Normally, article titles ending with “in [technology]” are a bad sign, but not so for Brandur’s. Even if you’ve never used Postgres, the examples showing how to lean on relational databases to enforce correctness will be revelatory.

I want to convince you that ACID databases are one of the most important tools in existence for ensuring maintainability and data correctness in big production systems. Lets start by digging into each of their namesake guarantees.

There’s a surprising symmetry between an HTTP request and a database’s transaction. Just like the transaction, an HTTP request is a transactional unit of work – it’s got a clear beginning, end, and result. The client generally expects a request to execute atomically and will behave as if it will (although that of course varies based on implementation). Here we’ll look at an example service to see how HTTP requests and transactions apply nicely to one another.

In APIs idempotency is a powerful concept. An idempotent endpoint is one that can be called any number of times while guaranteeing that the side effects will occur only once. In a messy world where clients and servers that may occasionally crash or have their connections drop partway through a request, it’s a huge help in making systems more robust to failure. Clients that are uncertain whether a request succeeded or failed can simply keep retrying it until they get a definitive response.

Jeff Hodges, Notes on Distributed Systems for Young Bloods . An amazing set of guardrails for doing reasonable things with distributed systems (and note that, though you might be able to get away with ignoring it for a while, any app that uses the network is a distributed system). Many points would individually qualify for this list if they were their own article—I reread it periodically and always notice new advice that I should have paid more attention to.

Distributed systems are different because they fail often • Implement backpressure throughout your system • Find ways to be partially available • Use percentiles, not averages • Learn to estimate your capacity • Feature flags are how infrastructure is rolled out • Choose id spaces wisely • Writing cached data back to persistent storage is bad • Extract services.

J.H. Saltzer, D.P. Reed and D.D. Clark, End-to-End Arguments in System Design . Another classic. The end-to-end principle has helped me make a lot of designs much simpler.

This paper presents a design principle that helps guide placement of functions among the modules of a distributed computer system. The principle, called the end-to-end argument, suggests that functions placed at low levels of a system may be redundant or of little value when compared with the cost of providing them at that low level. Examples discussed in the paper include bit error recovery, security using encryption, duplicate message suppression, recovery from system crashes, and delivery acknowledgement. Low level mechanisms to support these functions are justified only as performance enhancements.

Bret Victor, Inventing on Principle :

I’ve spent a lot of time over the years making creative tools, using creative tools, thinking about them a lot, and here’s something I’ve come to believe: Creators need an immediate connection to what they’re creating.

I can’t really excerpt any of the actual demos, which are the good part. Instead I’ll just endorse it: this talk dramatically, and productively, raised my bar for what I think programming tools (and tools in general) can be. Watch it and be amazed.

Post the essays you keep returning to in the comments!

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10x (engineer, context) pairs

What i’ve been doing instead of writing, my favorite essays of life advice.

format comments in markdown .

Quite a few of these are on my list, here’s some others that I keep returning to every so often:

• https://www.stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks
• https://medium.com/@nicolopigna/this-is-not-the-dry-you-are-looking-for-a316ed3f445f
• https://sysadvent.blogspot.com/2019/12/day-21-being-kind-to-3am-you.html
• https://jeffknupp.com/blog/2014/05/30/you-need-to-start-a-whizbang-project-immediately/

Great list! Some essays I end up returning to are:

• https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/compendium/software-structure?share_key=6fb5f711cae5a4e6
• https://caseymuratori.com/blog_0015

These are conference talks on youtube, not blog posts, but here’s a few of the ones I often end up sending to collaborators as addenda to discussions:

Don Reinertsen - Second Generation Lean Product Development Flow

Joshua Bloch

The Language of the System - Rich Hickey

Some posts:

https://speakerdeck.com/vjeux/react-css-in-js - diagnosis of problems with CSS (not because of React)

https://zachholman.com/talk/firing-people

Especially for fault-tolerant systems, “why restart helps” really opened my eyes:

• https://ferd.ca/the-zen-of-erlang.html

Oh, I forgot: http://web.mit.edu/2.75/resources/random/How%20Complex%20Systems%20Fail.pdf

Oldie but a goodie:

https://www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/reeves_design_main.html

+1 for that one

This is a great list. If i could make one addition it would have to be Rich Hickey’s “simple made easy”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oytL881p-nQ

I was once working with a newly formed (4 person) team on a large and complex project under a tight deadline. For a while we weren’t seeing eye to eye on many of the key decisions we made. Watching and reflecting on this talk gave us a shared aim and, perhaps even more importantly, a shared language for making choices that would reduce the complexity of our system. It is a gift that keeps on giving.

Another one that belongs on this list: https://www.kitchensoap.com/2012/10/25/on-being-a-senior-engineer/

A couple of my favorites:

• https://nedbatchelder.com/text/deleting-code.html
• https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2002/01/23/rub-a-dub-dub/

Out of the Tar Pit. https://github.com/papers-we-love/papers-we-love/blob/master/design/out-of-the-tar-pit.pdf

I’d like to nominate another of Nelson Elhage’s posts:

• https://blog.nelhage.com/2016/03/design-for-testability

This has had more direct influence on my day-to-day code writing than anything else. (Also, his other writing on testing is great.)

As another commenter mentioned conference talks, Bryan Cantrill on debugging is important—it meshes well with Nelson’s Computer can be understood . ( https://www.slideshare.net/bcantrill/debugging-microservices-in-production )

A fave of mine: Clojure: Programming with Hand Tools https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShEez0JkOFw

Some essays I like:

Science and the compulsive programmer by Joseph Weizenbaum - written in 1976, but the described phenomena of a compulsive programmer still exists and may be relevant to many: https://www.sac.edu/academicprogs/business/computerscience/pages/hester_james/hacker.htm

https://www.mit.edu/~xela/tao.html - Tao of Programming - not sure if you can classify as an essay, but it is classic!

https://norvig.com/21-days.html - Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years by Peter Novig - a great essay on how to master programming and why reading books like “Learn X in Y days” won’t be of much help. I recommend it to all beginners

Reginald Braithwaite, Golf is a good program spoiled - http://weblog.raganwald.com/2007/12/golf-is-good-program-spoiled.html . Raganwald has more great essays on his weblog, I just like this one the most.

The link of the last one ( https://vimeo.com/36579366 ) is broken. You may want to update it.

Paul Graham, “Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule " https://paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html

I keep thinking about those too:

https://www.teamten.com/lawrence/programming/write-code-top-down.html

https://rubyonrails.org/doctrine#provide-sharp-knives

• Miscellaneous

How to Write an Essay for Programming Students

Programming is a crucial aspect of today’s technology-based lives. It complements the usability of computers and the internet and enhances data processing in machines.

If there were no programmers-and, therefore, no programs such as Microsoft Office, Google Drive, or Windows-you couldn’t be reading this text at the moment.

Given the significance of this field, many programming students are asked to write a paper about it, which makes them be looking for college essay services , and address their “where can I type my essay” goals.

However, if you’re brave enough to write your essay, here’s everything you need to know before embarking on the process.

What is Computer Programming

Computer programming aims to create a range of orders to automate various tasks in a system, such as a computer, video game console, or even cell phone.

Because our daily activities are mostly centered on technology, computer programming is considered to be crucial, and at the same time, a challenging job. Therefore, if you desire to start your career path as a programmer, being hardworking is your number one requirement.

Coding Vs. Writing

Writing codes that can be recognized by computers might be a tough job for programmers, but what makes it even more difficult is that they need to write papers that can be understood by humans as well.

Writing code is very similar to writing a paper. First of all, you should understand the problem (determine the purpose of your writing). Then, you should think about the issue and look for favorable strategies to solve it (searching for related data for writing the paper). Last but not least refers to the debugging procedure. Just like editing and proofreading your document, debugging ensures your codes are well-written.

In the following, we will elaborate more on the writing process.

Essay Writing Process

Writing a programming essay is no different from other types of essays. Once you get to know the basic structure, the rest of the procedure will be a walk in the park.

Write an Outline

An outline is the most critical part of every writing assignment. When you write one, you’re actually preparing an overall structure for your future work and planning for what you intend to talk about throughout the paper.

Your outline must have three main parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion, each of which will be explained in detail.

Introduction

The introductory paragraph has two objectives. The first one is to grab readers’ attention, and the second one is to introduce the thesis statement. Besides, it can be used to present the general direction of the subsequent paragraphs and make readers ready for what’s coming next.

The body, which usually contains three paragraphs, is the largest and most important part of the essay. Each of these three paragraphs has its own topic sentence and supporting ideas to justify it, all of which are formed to support the thesis statement.

Based on the subject and type of essay, you can use various materials such as statistics, quotations, examples, or reasons to support your points and write the body paragraphs.

Another important requirement for the body is to use a transition sentence at the end of each body paragraph. This sentence gives a natural flow to your paper and directs your readers smoothly towards the next paragraph topic.

A conclusion is a brief restatement of the previous paragraphs, which summarizes the writing, and points out the main points of the body. It conveys a sense of termination to the essay and provides the readers with some persuasive closing sentences.

Proofreading

If you want to get into an elegant result, the final work shouldn’t be submitted without rereading and revising. While many people consider it to be a skippable step, proofreading is as important as the writing process itself.

Read your paper out loud to spot any grammatical or typing errors. It’s also possible to pay a cheap essay service to check for your potential mistakes or have your friends to the proofreading step for you.

Essay Writing Tips for Programming Students

● Know your audience: Programming is a complex topic, and not everyone understands it well. Consider how much your reader knows about the topic before you start writing. In case you are using service essays, make the writers know who your readers are.

● Cover different technologies: There are so many programming frameworks and tools out there, and new ones seem to pop up every day. Try to cover the relevant technologies in your essay but do stay focused. You shouldn’t confuse your reader by dropping names.

● Pay attention to theory: Many programming students love to get coding and hate theoretical stuff. But writing an essay is an academic task, and much like any other one, it needs to be done based on some theory.

Bottom Line

People who decide to work as programmers need to be all-powerful because they should be able to write documents for both computers and humans. As for the latter, we offered a concise instruction in this article. However, if you are a programming student and have not fairly developed your writing skills or you lack enough time to do so, getting help from a legit essay writing service will be your best option.

Python Programming Language Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Web services are one of the developments that accompanied the increased use of internet. This implies that web developers had to constantly review the approaches used to access web content, and so was the development of the web services technology. This essay provides an overview of Python language and how it is related to the development of web services.

This essay provides an insight into Python programming language by highlighting the key concepts associated with the language and on overview of the development of web services using Python. In addition, the essay highlights the survey tools that can facilitate the development of web services in Python programing language.

Python programming language is one of dynamic and object-oriented programming languages used for the development of diverse kinds of software developed by the Python Software foundation. Its significant advantage is that facilitates integration with other programing languages and software development tools. In addition, it has in-built standard libraries that are extensive. This means that it facilitates the development of a better source code.

The programming paradigm of Python language embarks on the readability of the source code enhanced through clear syntax. Apart from object-oriented programming paradigm, Python can implement other programming methodologies such as functional programing and imperative programming (Beazley 67).

Another important feature of Python language that makes it suitable as a software development tool is that it has a dynamic type system and its memory management strategy is automatic. In addition, it can support the implementation of scripting applications. It is important to note that the development model of Python language is community based, implying that its reference implementation is free and bases on the open source platform. There are various interpreters for the language for various systems software, although programs developed by Python are executable in any environment irrespective of operating system environment (Hetland 78).

Brief history of Python programming language

The development of Python language began during the late 80s, with its implementation done on the December of 1989. Python was a successor of the ABC programming language, which had the capabilities of exception handling and implementing an interface with the Amoeba System Software. The release of Python 2.0 during 2000 saw the inclusion of newer features such as offering support for Unicode and garbage collection (Beazley 89).

The significant change was its transformation making its development process community based. The release of Python 3.0 took place during 2008. Python language boasts of winning two awards by the TIOBE as the programming of language of the year during 2007 and 2010, resulting to an increase in the popularity of the language (Hetland 56).

Implementation of web services in Python

A web service is defines as a program that can transform any client application to a web-based application. The development of web services significantly depends on the scripting abilities of a programming language. An important aspect of Python language is that it can be used in scripting, implying that it is an effective development tool for web services. Web services developed by Python function using the standard messaging formats and they can be interfaced with other software development tools using the conventional Application Programming Interface (API).

Web programming using Python entails two major paradigms: server programming and client programming (Beazley 90). Server programming entails the development of web services that run on the web server, while client programming entails the development of web services that that run on the client side (Hetland 90). There are diverse approaches to server programming, examples include the WebFrameworks used for development of server side services using Python; CgiScripts used to write scripting applications in Python; Webservers, which are server solutions developed using Python.

Web services developed in Python are primarily used to offer access and functionality of the APIs via the web. On the client side, Python language can be used in a number of ways including Web Browser Programming, Web Client Programming and Web services. There are various libraries in Python for the development of web services; examples include the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and the Web Services Description Language (WSDL).

Python language has extensive in-built tools that can provide support to Internet protocols, coupled with its code readability characteristic, Python is therefore one of the most appropriate programming languages that can be used in the development of dynamic web content using the concept of dynamic programming. Some of the in-built facilities included in Python that can facilitate dynamic programming and development of web services include (Beazley 123):

• Python comes with HTTP 1.1 server implementations, which has both file servers and CGI servers. An important feature of this characteristic is that their customization is easy and they incorporate the concept of automation of web tasks. HTTP 1.1 has tools for the implementation of HTTP requests. In addition, HTTP 1.1 implements secure web services.
• Another important feature of Python is that is has features used for parsing and constructing of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). This is used to facilitate the handling of URLs by the web service in a more efficient manner.
• Python also has an included HTML and SGML modules used for parsing HTML tags during the development of web services. SGNL is a part of the parent language of Python language.
• Python can also support XML since it has in-built XML parsing features and SAX libraries embedded in the standard library.
• Python can also handle CGI requests, facilitating the process of developing codes for handling CGI.
• Low-level sockets serve to enhance network programming, which is an important strategy in the development web based applications.

Web Frameworks used in the development of web services in Python language

A web framework is an important aspect in the development of web services and web-based applications. They allow the web developer to design web services without the need deploy low-level protocols and sockets. Most of the available web frameworks technology based on server side scripting, with a few frameworks supporting client side scripting (Hetland 122).

Python language uses web frameworks for the development of web services through providing an avenue through which web developers can simply write codes basing on some standards of conformity to that particular framework. This concept of web service development in Python is known as plugging. Python language web frameworks provide diverse activities such as the interpretation of requests, production of responses and persistent data storage.

These processes are an integral part of the web services development (Beazley 67). An example of Python web frameworks is the Full stack frameworks, which consists of high-level components such as Django, Grok, Pylons and TurboGears. Python language can support other full stack web frameworks. The ability of Python language to support diverse web frameworks makes it one of the best programming languages that can be used for web service development.

In addition, they provide an avenue through which web developers can develop codes for web services (Drake 127). Python language frameworks also have the feature of customization, meaning that Python can be used to create abstractions, which can be used to implement specific tasks during the development of web service and their respective clients (Beazley 67).

Python language tool kits used in the development of web services

The two basic Python tool kits used in web service development are the gSOAP and the ZSI. The ZSI package found in Python has in-built capabilities that can support SOAP 1.1 messaging formats and WSDL frameworks. Web service development is easy to implement using ZSI package. The gSOAP toolkit also provides an effective platform for code development aimed implementing web services in Python language. Technologies such as JSON-RPC and SOAP also favor the development of codes for web services.

Under the JSON-RPC, Python-json-rpc is used in the development of web services. Environments such as the WSDL and Windows Common Foundation (WCF) on the other hand favor SOAP, which technologies such as Suds, Soaplib, psimblesoap and ZSI. It is also important to note that Python can be embedded in XML to develop web services under the XML-RPC platform. This comes as a provision in the inbuilt library of Python programming language (Drake 100).

The implementation of HTTP web services in python

HTTP web services are primarily used for exchanging data between various remote servers and clients. For instance, the HTTP GET is used to search for data in the server, while the HTTP POST is used for sending data to the remote server. There are other diving in operations implemented in HTTP web services using Python language.

They are used for data modification, creation and deletion operations. The significant advantage of the diving in strategy during code development for web services is due to the underlying simplicity compared to other web services development strategies using python language (Drake 102). Python has a number of libraries used for the implementation of web services basing on http platform. They are the http.client and the urllib.request.

The http.client is used to implement RFC 2616, while the url.lib provides a framework for development of standardized Application Program Interface. Another third-party library is httplib2, is an open source library used in the implementation of http in a more advanced manner compared to above libraries. The following section outlines the implementation of SOAP requests using Python programming language (Hetland 134).

SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

SOAP is a protocol that is used for exchange of structured messaging formats during the development and implementation of web services. SOAP significantly relies on XML for the design of its message format. On addition, it also depends on protocols that are found in the application layer such as Remote Procedure Calls and HTTP in order to facilitate the transmission of the message.

An important characteristic of SOAP is that it can be used to form an integral part of the web services protocol stack, which are used for offering the framework for messaging. Messaging frameworks play an important role in the development of code for web services. This implies that programming languages, such as Python, that have messaging frameworks are effective in web services development. The three basic elements of the SOAP protocol based on the XML framework are the envelope, data types and conventions.

The envelope defines the elements contained in the message and the various approaches used in message processing (Drake 145). The convention is a set of procedures used to represent the SOAP requests and responses. As an instance of how SOAP requests and responses can be implemented, messages that are in the SOAP framework are sent to a web page that has the capability to handle web services.

An example of such a website can be a library database that has some specified search parameters to distinguish the various database elements such as year of publication, author name and so on. If the search data that is supposed to be returned is changed into a format that is standardized and based on the machine-parseable functionality, then a SOAP request can be implemented effectively during the development of web services (Hetland 67).

The SOAP request and response platform has several layers that are used for specifying the message formats, the transport protocols and the various strategies for message processing. It can be argued that SOAP is a more advanced XML-RPC, although it has features borrowed from WDDX. The SOAP specification framework comprises of the processing model, extensibility model, underlying protocol binding and the message construct.

The processing model of SOAP consists of the SOAP sender, which is primarily responsible for transmitting SOAP messages. The SOAP receiver serves as the destination for the SOAP messages while the passage path refers to a set of nodes that the message follows during transmission (Beazley 90).

The ultimate soap receiver denotes the final receiver of the SOAP messages. They are primarily used for processing the SOAP messages through analysis of the contents and the header information of the messages. In some cases, a SOAP intermediary is needed and serves to be the link between the SOAP sender and receiver (Drake 67).

The basic transport formats used in SOAP are the application layer protocols used in the present day internet infrastructure. SOAP uses the XML as the standard format for its messages because of its increased use in various internet applications. A drawback of the XML in the implementation of SOAP requests and responses is that if Python is implemented in it, it results into long lengths of code; therefore making code development for SOAP web services a cumbersome process (Hetland 90).

There have been criticisms concerning the effectiveness of the SOAP messages in the implementation of web services. Among its advantages is that SOAP is more extensible and flexible to be used in diverse transport protocols. Apart from usage in the standard transport protocol, the HTTP, SOAP can also be used in other transport protocols such as SMTP and JMS. Due to the fact that the SOAP model functions effectively on the HTTP transport platform, its implementation can be integrated into existing firewalls and proxies in order to enhance security of the web services during their implementation.

There are significant advantages concerning the development of web services basing on the SOAP model (Drake 170). One major disadvantage is that SOAP is significantly slower in comparison with other middle ware platforms such as COBRA. This slowness is a major issue during the sending of big SOAP messages over the web service (Beazley 78).

The slowness is due to issues associated with the XML format. The second disadvantage of the SOAP model in web service development is that roles of the various interacting users are not dynamic rather they are fixed. This implies that only a single user can have access to the services of the other party at a given time. In order to eliminate biasness during service usage, developers using the SOAP model incorporate some concept of polling in the development of web services (Drake 150).

Python language comes with SOAP libraries, making it effective in the implementation of SOAP requests and responses during the development of web services. There are diverse implementations of the SOAP model in Python programming language. The SOAP modules incorporated in Python are an integral part of the programming language during the development of web services using the SOAP model.

With the SOAP modules in its standard libraries, the development of SOAP model in Python eliminated the need to have Web Services Description Language (WSDL). The SOAP.py feature found in Python serves to support the development of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). There are three basic approaches to development of web services in python programming language (Beazley 167). They are the Zolera Soap Infrastructure (ZSI), Soaplib and TGWebServices (TGWS). The following section provides an outline of the web services development strategies in python.

The ZSI offers the client and server libraries that are required for effective implementation of SOAP. In order to use ZSI, a web developer drafts a WDSL file, after which one codes the source code using python and then fed to the server. The WDSL files and its data structures are transformed into classes of python language, which can be fed to the client and server during the usage of web services (Beazley 125).

Soaplib is used in the generation of web services basing on the WDSL files and the source code written in python language. Its drawback is that it does not use the principles of full stack solutions (Beazley 145). This implies that has to be integrated with other web frameworks in order to be used effectively in the development of web services (Hetland 124).

TGWebServices

This is a component in the Turbo-Gears library of the python language. Its significant advantage during the implementation of web services using python is that it offers controller service to the base class, making it function as a root of the web service (Beazley 189). Its functionality is similar to Soaplib in the sense that during runtime, it produces a WDSL file from the source code. In addition, the library supports JSON and XML messages on the same code. A significant concern during the use of these libraries is interoperability. TGWS is reported to have SOAP faults. Another concern is feature completeness (Hetland 134).

It is evident that Python language is one of the most effective programming languages used in the development of web services. The ability to implement SOAP requests and response using python is an added advantage that favors the development of web services using Python (Drake 139).

Works cited

Beazley, David. Python Essential Reference . New Jersey: Addison-Wesley, 2009.

Drake, Fred . The Python Language Reference Manual . New York: Network Theory Limited, 2003.

Hetland, Magnus Lie. Python Algorithms: Mastering Basic Algorithms in the Python Language. New York: Apress, 2010.

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Essays on Computer Programming

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Sequence, Selection and Iteration in Programming Language

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Basic Facts About Grace Hopper

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Topics for Essays on Programming Languages: Top 7 Options

Java Platform Editions and Their Peculiarities

Python: a favorite of developers, javascript: the backbone of the web, typescript: narrowing down your topic, the present and future of php, how to use c++ for game development, how to have fun when learning swift.

‍ Delving into the realm of programming languages offers a unique lens through which we can explore the evolution of technology and its impact on our world. From the foundational assembly languages to today's sophisticated, high-level languages, each one has shaped the digital landscape.

Whether you're a student seeking a deep dive into this subject or a tech enthusiast eager to articulate your insights, finding the right topic can set the stage for a compelling exploration.

This article aims to guide you through selecting an engaging topic, offering seven top options for essays on programming languages that promise to spark curiosity and provoke thoughtful analysis.

"If you’re a newbie when it comes to exploring Java programming language, it’s best to start with the basics not to overcomplicate your assignment. Of course, the most obvious option is to write a descriptive essay highlighting the features of Java platform editions:

- Java Standard Edition (Java SE). It allows one to develop Java applications and ensures the essential functionality of the programming language;

- Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE). It's an extension of the previous edition for developing and running enterprise applications;

- Java Micro Edition serves for running applications on small and mobile devices.

You can explain the purpose of each edition and the key components to inform and give value to the readers. Or you can go in-depth and opt for a compare and contrast essay to show your understanding of the subject and apply critical thinking skills."

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You probably already know that this programming language is widely used globally.

Python is perfect for beginners who want to master programming because of the simple syntax that resembles English. Besides, look at the opportunities it opens:

- developing web applications, of course;

- building command-line interface (CLI) for routine tasks automation;

- creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs);

- using helpful tools and frameworks to streamline game development;

- facilitating data science and machine learning;

- analyzing and visualizing big data.

All these points can become solid ideas for your essay. For instance, you can use the list above as the basis for argumentation why one should learn Python. After doing your research, you’ll find plenty of evidence to convince your audience.

And if you’d like to spice things up, another option is to add your own perspective to the debate on which language is better: Python or JavaScript.

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"This programming language is no less popular than the previous one. It’s even considered easier to learn for a newbie. If you master it, you’ll gain a valuable skill that can help you start a lucrative career. Just think about it:

- JavaScript is used by almost all websites;

with it, you can develop native apps for iOS and Android;

- it allows you to grasp functional, object-oriented, and imperative programming;

you can create jaw-dropping visual effects for web pages and games;

- it’s also possible to work with AI, analyze data, and find bugs.

So, drawing on the universality of JavaScript and the career opportunities it brings can become a non-trivial topic for your essay.

Hint: look up job descriptions demanding the knowledge of JavaScript. Then, compare salaries to provide helpful up-to-date information. Your professor should be impressed with your approach to writing."

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"Yes, you guessed right - this programming language kind of strengthens the power of JavaScript. It allows developers to handle large-scale projects. TypeScript enables object-oriented programming and static typing; it has a single open-source compiler.

If you want your essay to stand out and show a deeper understanding of the programming basics, the best way is to go for a narrow topic. In other words, niche your writing by focusing on the features of TypeScript.

For example, begin with the types:

- Tuple, etc.

Having elaborated on how they work, proceed to explore the peculiarities, pros, and cons of TypeScript. Explaining when and why one should opt for it as opposed to JavaScript also won't hurt.

Here, you can dive into details as much as you want, but remember to give examples and use logical reasoning to prove your claims."

"This language intended for server-side web development has been around for a really long time: almost 80% of websites still use it.

But there’s a stereotype that PHP can’t compete with other modern programming languages. Thus, the debates on whether PHP is still relevant do not stop. Why not use this fact to compose a top-notch analytical essay?

Here’s how you can do it:

1. research and gather information, especially statistics from credible sources;

2. analyze how popular the programming language is and note the demand for PHP developers;

3. provide an unbiased overview of its perks and drawbacks and support it with examples;

4. identify the trends of using PHP in web development;

5. make predictions about the popularity of PHP over the next few years.

If you put enough effort into crafting your essay, it’ll not only deserve an “A” but will also become a guide for your peers interested in programming.

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C++ is a universal programming language considered most suitable for developing various large-scale applications. Yet, it has gained the most popularity among video game developers as C++ is easier to apply to hardware programming than other languages.

Given that the industry of video games is fast-growing, you can write a paper on C++ programming in this sphere. And the simplest approach to take is offering advice to beginners.

For example, review the tools for C++ game development:

- GameSalad;

- Lumberyard;

- Unreal Engine;

- GDevelop;

- GameMaker Studio;

- Unity, among others.

There are plenty of resources to use while working on your essay, and you can create your top list for new game developers. Be sure to examine the tools’ features and customer feedback to provide truthful information for your readers.

Facing hurdles with your C++ assignments? Click on " C++ homework help " and discover how Studyfy can guide you to success!

"Swift was created for iOS applications development, and people argue that this programming language is the easiest to learn. So, how about checking whether this statement is true or false?

The creators of Swift aimed to make it as convenient and efficient as possible. Let’s see why programmers love it:

- first of all, because it’s compatible with Apple devices;

- the memory management feature helps set priorities for introducing new functionality;

- if an error occurs, recovering is no problem;

- the language boasts a concise code and is pretty fast to learn;

- you can get advice from the dedicated Swift community if necessary.

Thus, knowing all these benefits, you can build your arguments in favor of learning Swift. But we also recommend reflecting on the opposite point of view to present the whole picture in your essay. And if you want to dig deeper, opt for a comparison with other programming languages."

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Computer Programming Essay Examples

My future careers in computer information technology.

The Computer Information Technology (CIT) major encompasses many skills and knowledge spanning concepts and ideas from programming to business (Computer Information Technology). This four-year degree will, as follows, act as a basis for most employment and business opportunities involving IT work. Through general education or...

Computer Programming: Investigation on How It All Started

One of the hardest and the most difficult parts about computer programming is trying to find out when it first started. We can usually start off with Charles Babbage. Babbage was a computer pioneer who designed the first ever Difference Engine and the Analytical engine....

Agile Methodologies in Web Programming

Software firms that involved with developing web application are lacked of well-defined development process. Many development methods have been proposed for developing web application in these firms. However, these methods have some limitations. This paper aims to identify the agile development methods that are suitable...

Comparative Analysis of Various Tools for Automation Testing of Angularjs

AngularJS is the new Javascript framework, being widely used across web browsers and also having a great expression power is paired with a shortcoming i. e. lack of compiler optimization. Thereby, it is recommended strongly that every application written in JavaScript, irrespective of the used...

Open Source Software for Government in Developing Countries

Open source programming is programming with source code that anybody can review, change, and upgrade. 'Source code' is the piece of programming that most PC clients absolutely never observe; it's the code software engineers can control to change how a bit of programming — a...

Learning Events of Coding for Women

Canada’s history has been made up of countless women who are independent and leaders they always showed superiority in all fields they entered even in technology and programming. For instance, Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer in the history. And this is showing that...

Preferred Operating System for Cloud Computing

Operating System is a stage for programming under mechanical gathering. Working structure is a program that goes about as an administrator between a client of a pc and the pc equip. Operating system controls and engages the use of the contraption among the shifting application...

Asl Bpo: Outsourcing Solutions in It Sector

ASL BPO is an organization which provides IT solutions and outsourcing services to their clients. I joined in this organization under the operation department. Due to confidentiality, I was told that I cannot use the information for my report from any other departments but only...

The Creation and Development of the Personal Computer (PC)

This paper analyzes the events that led up to the creation of the Personal Computer (PC). This paper also explores how the Personal Computer has affected our modern society, science, as well as technology. Aside from that, the paper describes the major components of the...

Digital Security, Programmers and Hacking

Everyone is thinking about PC world and their capacities. In the course of the most recent two decades, mechanical advancement has happened as Computers are currently an indispensable part of the present society. People couldn't work without them, our capacity is controlled by PCs, the...

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Computer Science Essay - Overview

A computer science essay is a written piece that explores various topics related to computer science. These include technical and complex topics, like software development and artificial intelligence. They can also explore more general topics, like the history and future of technology.

In most cases, computer science essays are written by students as part of their coursework or academic assignments.

Computer science essays can take many forms, such as research papers, argumentative essays, or even creative writing pieces. 

Regardless of the format, a well-written computer science essay should be informative, engaging, and well-supported by evidence and research.

Now that we understand the purpose of it, let's explore some of the most popular and interesting topics within this field. 

In the following sections, we will dive into over 160 computer science essay topics to inspire your next writing project.

Computer Science Essay Topics For High School Students

• How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing the Gaming Industry
• The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles: Who is Responsible for Accidents?
• The Role of Computer Science in Modern Healthcare
• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Artificial Intelligence
• The Future of Cybersecurity: Challenges and Opportunities
• How Virtual Reality is Changing the Way We Learn
• The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles
• The Role of Big Data in Modern Business
• The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing
• The Implications of Blockchain Technology

Computer Science Essay Topics For Middle School Students

• How Computers Work: An Introduction to Hardware and Software
• The Evolution of Video Games: From Pong to Virtual Reality
• Internet Safety: Tips for Staying Safe Online
• How Search Engines Work: Understanding Google and Bing
• Coding Basics: An Introduction to HTML and CSS
• The Future of Technology: What Will We See in the Next 10 Years?
• The Power of Social Media: How it Impacts Our Lives
• The Ethics of Technology: The Pros and Cons of Social Media
• The Science of Cryptography: How Messages are Secured
• Robots and Artificial Intelligence: What Are They and How Do They Work?

Computer Science Essay Topics For College Students

• The Role of Machine Learning in Business
• Cybersecurity and Data Privacy in the Digital Age
• The Impact of Social Media on Political Campaigns
• The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems
• The Future of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage
• The Use of Blockchain Technology in Financial Services
• The Integration of IoT in Smart Homes and Smart Cities
• The Advancements and Challenges of Quantum Computing
• The Pros and Cons of Open Source Software
• The Impact of Technology on the Job Market: Opportunities and Threats

Computer Science Essay Topics For University Students

• The Application of Machine Learning and Deep Learning in Natural Language Processing
• The Future of Quantum Computing: Challenges and Prospects
• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor Market: An Empirical Study
• The Ethical Implications of Autonomous Systems and Robotics
• The Role of Data Science in Financial Risk Management
• Blockchain and Smart Contracts: Applications and Limitations
• The Security Challenges of Cloud Computing: A Comparative Analysis
• The Prospects of Cognitive Computing and its Implications for Business Intelligence
• The Integration of IoT and Edge Computing in Smart City Development
• The Relationship between Cybersecurity and National Security: A Theoretical and Empirical Study.

 Research Paper Topics in Computer Science

• Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity: Advancements and Limitations
• Social Media and Mental Health: Implications for Research and Practice
• Blockchain Implementation in Supply Chain Management: A Comparative Study
• Natural Language Processing: Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions
• Edge Computing in IoT: Opportunities and Challenges
• Data Analytics in Healthcare Decision Making: An Empirical Study
• Virtual Reality in Education and Training: Opportunities and Challenges
• Cloud Computing in Developing Countries: Opportunities and Challenges
• Security Risks of Smart Homes and IoT Devices: A Comparative Analysis
• Artificial Intelligence and the Legal Profession: Challenges and Opportunities

Computer Science Essay Topics On Emerging Technologies

• 5G Networks: Trends, Applications, and Challenges
• Augmented Reality in Marketing and Advertising: Opportunities and Challenges
• Quantum Computing in Drug Discovery: A Review of Current Research
• Autonomous Vehicles: Advancements and Challenges in Implementation
• Synthetic Biology: Current Developments and Future Prospects
• Brain-Computer Interfaces: Opportunities and Challenges in Implementation
• Robotics in Healthcare: Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions
• Wearable Technology: Applications and Limitations in Healthcare
• Virtual Assistants: Opportunities and Limitations in Daily Life
• Biometric Authentication: Advancements and Challenges in Implementation

Computer Science Essay Topics On Solving Problems

• Using Artificial Intelligence to solve traffic congestion problems
• Implementing Machine Learning to predict and prevent cyber-attacks
• Developing a Computer Vision system to detect early-stage skin cancer
• Using Data Analytics to improve energy efficiency in buildings
• Implementing an IoT-based solution for monitoring and reducing air pollution
• Developing a software system for optimizing supply chain management
• Using Blockchain to secure and manage digital identities
• Implementing a Smart Grid system for energy distribution and management
• Developing a mobile application for emergency response and disaster management
• Using Robotics to automate and optimize warehouse operations.

Computer Science Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should the development of autonomous weapons be banned?
• Is social media addiction a mental health disorder?
• Should governments regulate the use of artificial intelligence in decision-making?
• Is online privacy a fundamental human right?
• Should companies be held liable for data breaches?
• Is net neutrality necessary for a free and open internet?
• Should software piracy be treated as a criminal offense?
• Should online hate speech be regulated by law?
• Is open-source software better than proprietary software?
• Should governments use surveillance technology to prevent crime?

Computer Science Persuasive Essay Topics

• Should coding be a mandatory subject in schools?
• Is artificial intelligence a threat to human jobs?
• Should the use of drones for commercial purposes be regulated?
• Is encryption important for online security?
• Should governments provide free Wi-Fi in public spaces?
• Is cyberbullying a serious problem in schools?
• Should social media platforms regulate hate speech?
• Is online voting a viable option for elections?
• Should algorithms be used in decision-making processes in the criminal justice system?
• Should governments invest in space exploration and colonization?

 Current Hot Topics in Computer Science

• The ethical implications of facial recognition technology
• The role of blockchain in data security and privacy
• The future of quantum computing and its potential applications
• The challenges and opportunities of implementing machine learning in healthcare
• The impact of big data on business operations and decision-making
• The potential of augmented and virtual reality in education and training
• The role of computer science in addressing climate change and sustainability
• The social and cultural implications of social media algorithms
• The intersection of computer science and neuroscience in developing artificial intelligence

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Controversial Topics in Computer Science

• The ethics of Artificial Intelligence
• The dark side of the Internet
• The impact of social media on mental health
• The role of technology in political campaigns
• The ethics of autonomous vehicles
• The responsibility of tech companies in preventing cyberbullying
• The use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement
• The impact of automation on employment
• The future of privacy in a digital world
• The dangers of deep face technology

Good Essay Topics on Computer Science and Systems

• The history of computers and computing
• The impact of computers on society
• The evolution of computer hardware and software
• The role of computers in education
• The future of quantum computing
• The impact of computers on the music industry
• The use of computers in medicine and healthcare
• The role of computers in space exploration
• The impact of video games on cognitive development
• The benefits and drawbacks of cloud computing

Simple & Easy Computers Essay Topics

• How to choose the right computer for your needs
• The basics of computer hardware and software
• The importance of computer maintenance and upkeep
• How to troubleshoot common computer problems
• The role of computers in modern business
• The impact of computers on communication
• How to protect your computer from viruses and malware
• The basics of computer programming
• How to improve your computer skills
• The benefits of using a computer for personal finance management.

Computer Science Extended Essay Topics

• The impact of Artificial Intelligence on the job market
• The development of a smart home system using IoT
• The use of Blockchain in supply chain management
• The future of quantum computing in cryptography
• Developing an AI-based chatbot for customer service
• The use of Machine Learning for credit scoring
• The development of an autonomous drone delivery system
• The role of Big Data in predicting and preventing natural disasters
• The potential of Robotics in agriculture
• The impact of 5G on the Internet of Things

Long Essay Topics In Computer Science

• The ethical implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
• Exploring the potential of quantum computing and its impact on cryptography.
• The use of big data in healthcare: Opportunities and challenges.
• The future of autonomous vehicles and their impact on transportation and society.
• The role of blockchain technology in securing digital transactions and information.
• The impact of social media and algorithms on the spread of misinformation.
• The ethics of cybersecurity and the role of governments in protecting citizens online.
• The potential of virtual reality and augmented reality in education and training.
• The impact of cloud computing on business and IT infrastructure.
• The challenges and opportunities of developing sustainable computing technologies

Most Interesting Computers Topics

• The rise of artificial intelligence in information technology: opportunities and challenges.
• The evolution of programming languages and their impact on software development.
• The future of pursuing computer science education: online learning vs traditional classroom.
• The impact of virtualization on computer systems and their scalability.
• Cybersecurity threats in information technology: prevention and mitigation strategies.
• An analysis of the most popular programming languages and their advantages and disadvantages.
• The role of cloud computing in the digital transformation of businesses.
• Emerging trends in pursuing computer science education: personalized learning and adaptive assessments.
• Developing secure computer systems for critical infrastructure: challenges and solutions.
• The potential of quantum computing in revolutionizing information technology and programming languages.

How To Choose The Right Computer Science Essay Topic

Choosing the right computer science essay topic can be a challenging task. Here are some tips to help you select the best topic for your essay:

• Consider your Interests

Choose a topic that you are genuinely interested in. This will help you to stay motivated and engaged throughout the writing process.

• Do your Research

Spend some time researching different computer science topics to identify areas that interest you and have plenty of research material available.

• Narrow Down Your Focus

Once you have a list of potential topics, narrow down your focus to a specific aspect or issue within that topic.

• Consider the Audience

Think about who your audience is and choose a topic that is relevant to their interests or needs.

• Evaluate The Scope Of The Topic

Make sure that the topic you choose is not too broad or too narrow. You want to have enough material to write a comprehensive essay, but not so much that it becomes overwhelming.

Take some time to brainstorm different ideas and write them down. This can help you to identify patterns or themes that you can use to develop your topic.

• Consult With Your Instructor

If you're struggling to come up with a topic, consider consulting with your instructor or a tutor. They can provide you with guidance and feedback to help you choose the right topic.

Tips To Write An Effective Computer Science Essay

Writing an effective computer science essay requires careful planning and execution. Here are some tips to help you write a great essay:

• Start with a clear thesis statement: Your thesis statement should be concise and clearly state the purpose of your essay.
• Use evidence to support your arguments: Use credible sources to back up your arguments. Also, make sure to properly cite your sources.
• Write in a clear and concise manner: Use simple and straightforward language to convey your ideas. Avoid using technical jargon that your audience may not understand.
• Use diagrams and visual aids: If appropriate, use diagrams and visual aids to help illustrate your ideas. This will make your essay look more engaging.
• Organize your essay effectively: Use clear and logical headings and subheadings to organize your essay and make it easy to follow.
• Proofread and edit: Before submitting, make sure to carefully proofread your essay to ensure that it is free of errors.
• Seek feedback: Get feedback from others, to help you identify areas where you can improve your writing.

By following these tips, you can write an effective computer science essay that engages your audience and effectively communicates your ideas.

In conclusion, computer science is a vast and exciting field that offers a wide range of essay topics for students. 

Whether you're writing about emerging technologies, or hot topics in computer science, there are plenty of options to choose from.

To choose the right topic for your essay, consider your interests, the assignment requirements, and the audience you are writing for. Once you have a topic in mind, follow the tips we've outlined to write an effective essay that engages your audience.

If you're struggling to write your computer science essay, consider hiring our professional essay writing - CollegeEssay.org. 

We offer a range of services, including essay writing, editing, and proofreading, to help students achieve their academic goals.

With our essay writer AI , you can take your writing to the next level and succeed in your studies. 

So why wait? Visit our computer science essay writing service and see how we can help you!

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Donna has garnered the best reviews and ratings for her work. She enjoys writing about a variety of topics but is particularly interested in social issues, current events, and human interest stories. She is a sought-after voice in the industry, known for her engaging, professional writing style.

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What is Programming?

Programming is everywhere.

Programming is, quite literally, all around us. From the take-out we order, to the movies we stream, code enables everyday actions in our lives. Tech companies are no longer recognizable as just software companies — instead, they bring food to our door, help us get a taxi, influence outcomes in presidential elections, or act as a personal trainer.

When you’re walking down the street, where can you find technology in your environment? Click on the white circles.

…AND PROGRAMMING IS FOR EVERYONE

For many years, only a few people have known how to code. However, that’s starting to change. The number of people learning to code is increasing year by year, with estimates around 31.1 million software developers worldwide , which doesn’t even account for the many OTHER careers that relate to programming.

Here at Codecademy, our mission is to make technical knowledge accessible and applicable. Technology plays a crucial role in our economy — but programming is no longer just for software engineers. Any person can benefit from learning to program — whether it’s learning HTML to improve your marketing emails or taking a SQL course to add a dose of analysis to your research role.

Even outside of the tech industry, learning to program is essential to participating in the world around you: it affects the products you buy, the legal policies you vote for, and the data you share online.

So, let’s dig into what programming is.

WHAT IS PROGRAMMING?

Put simply, programming is giving a set of instructions to a computer to execute. If you’ve ever cooked using a recipe before, you can think of yourself as the computer and the recipe’s author as a programmer. The recipe author provides you with a set of instructions that you read and then follow. The more complex the instructions, the more complex the result!

How good are you at giving instructions? Try and get Codey to draw a square!

PROGRAMMING AS COMMUNICATION, or CODING

“Ok, so now I know what programming is, but what’s coding? I’m here to learn how to code. Are they the same thing?”

While sometimes used interchangeably, programming and coding actually have different definitions. 

• Programming  is the mental process of thinking up instructions to give to a machine (like a computer).
• Coding  is the process of transforming those ideas into a written language that a computer can understand.

Over the past century, humans have been trying to figure out how to best communicate with computers through different programming languages . Programming has evolved from punch cards with rows of numbers that a machine read, to drag-and-drop interfaces that increase programming speed, with lots of other methods in between.

To this day, people are still developing programming languages, trying to improve our programming efficiency. Others are building new languages that improve accessibility to learning to code, like developing an Arabic programming language or improving access for the blind and visually impaired .

There are tons of programming languages out there, each with its own unique strengths and applications. Ultimately, the best one for you depends on what you’re looking to achieve. Check out our tips for picking your first language to learn more.

PROGRAMMING AS COLLABORATION

“The problem with programming is not that the computer isn’t logical—the computer is terribly logical, relentlessly literal-minded.”

Ellen Ullman, Life in Code

When we give instructions to a computer through code, we are, in our own way, communicating with the computer. But since computers are built differently than we are, we have to translate our instructions in a way that computers will understand.

Computers interpret instructions in a very literal manner, so we have to be very specific in how we program them. Think about instructing someone to walk. If you start by telling them, “Put your foot in front of yourself,” do they know what a foot is? Or what front means? (and now we understand why it’s taken so long to develop bipedal robots…). In coding, that could mean making sure that small things like punctuation and spelling are correct. Many tears have been shed over a missing semicolon ( ; ) a symbol that a lot of programming languages use to denote the end of a line.

But rather than think of this as a boss-employee relationship, it’s more helpful to think about our relationship with computers as a collaboration.

The computer is just one (particularly powerful) tool in a long list of tools that humans have used to extend and augment their abilities.

As mentioned before, computers are very good at certain things and well, not so good at others. But here’s the good news: the things that computers are good at, humans suck at, and the things that computers suck at, humans are good at! Take a look at this handy table:

Just imagine what we can accomplish when we work together! We can make movies with incredible special effects, have continuous 24/7 factory production, and improve our cities and health.

The best computer programs are the ones that enable us to make things that we couldn’t do on our own, but leverage our creative capacities. We may be good at drawing, but a computer is great at doing the same task repeatedly — and quickly!

Use your cursor to draw in the white box in order to see the program draw!

As programming becomes a larger part of our lives, it’s vital that everyone has an understanding of what programming is and how it can be used. Programming is important to our careers, but it also plays a key role in how we participate in politics, how we buy things, and how we stay in touch with one another.

Learning to code is an exciting journey. Whether your goal is to build a mobile app, search a database, or program a robot, coding is a skill that will take you far in life. Just remember — computers are tools. While learning to program may initially be frustrating, if you choose to stick with it, you’ll be able to make some brilliant things.

The Codecademy Team, composed of experienced educators and tech experts, is dedicated to making tech skills accessible to all. We empower learners worldwide with expert-reviewed content that develops and enhances the technical skills needed to advance and succeed in their careers.

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Essays on Computer Programming

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Charles Babbage's Contributions and Inventions Charles Babbage was an English mathematician who had a significant impact on computer programming. He contributed to the advancement of mathematics in his country. Most of his ideas were applied to calculus because he was able to rectify some formulas that had mistakes. He created a...

The experiment will involve testing and analyzing network components such as major devices involved in the system's communication process as well as critical packets employed in traffic transfer. The program used to analyze the network system was an open-source tool named Wireshark. Wireshark, first released under the corporate name Ethereal,...

Words: 2522

The For Loop The For Loop is used to allow the repetition of a specific part of code for a predetermined number of times. At times, the computer is the one that knows how many times to repeat the code. The For Loop, for example, will be used in a code...

There are various clinical coding and classification systems. Encoders and computer-assisted coding are two examples of such systems or applications (CAC). Yet, because of its increased speed and accuracy, the company should consider deploying a CAC system. The effective implementation of clinical documentation improvement (CDI) programs improves the accuracy of...

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The advancement in computational power, particularly among computers, logical programmable units, communications link and networking, artificial intelligence, and robotics, has provided the world with a more efficient and faster way to improve the way we interact, whether by communications or performing complex tasks such as scientific computations, simulations, and even...

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Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor Market Humans have proved over time to be imaginative and inventive enough to influence developments that were previously just imagined. Today, we have accepted technology as a part of our everyday lives and it does too much for us to make our lives easier....

Manual methods of managing have been introduced in the modern world People are persuaded that technology should be used in all fields to automate and simplify work. Moreover, it is assumed that more income can be made in a short time with the employment of high technology in industry. In order...

Computer programming in youth Computer programming is a technique/process used to build executable computer instructions to solve problems for the computer. This essay deals with computer programming in youth, a phenomenon that is now popular in this modern age. Among the topics explored are the results of teaching programming to children,...

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How to Write a Computer Programming Essay

Programming is an essential part of today’s technologically driven life. It improves the usability of computers and the internet, as well as machine data processing. You couldn’t be reading this text right now if there were no programmers, and hence no applications like Microsoft Office, Google Drive, or Windows. Below is all about computer programming.

What Is The Definition Of Computer Programming?

Computer programming tries to produce a set of instructions that may be used to automate different activities in a system like a computer, video game console, or even a mobile phone. Because our everyday lives are increasingly reliant on technology, computer programming is both a necessary and a difficult skill to master. As a result, if you want to start a job as a programmer, or need a custom essay on programming, your first prerequisite is to be a diligent worker.

1. Computer Programming: An Introduction

A program is a set of instructions written in a specific language that the computer can comprehend and use to solve the issue it has been given. It is the mechanism for directing and controlling the entire computer process. The term “programming” refers to the process of creating a computer program.

A program should be saved on media that the computer can understand. For this, punched cards are commonly utilized. Each computer understands a single language, referred to as “machine language.”

Each computer has its machine language, which includes the usage of numerical codes. Writing a program in this language is tough. Other languages have been created to overcome this problem.

These Can Be Classified Into Two Categories:

1. Machine oriented languages

2. Problem-oriented languages

A machine-oriented language can only be used on a computer that was built for it. The alphabetic codes in this language are known as numeric codes. Unmemoric codes are thus easier to remember than numeric codes, and writing a program in this language is thus easier.

A machine-oriented language is focused on a certain computer rather than a specific issue. Problem-oriented languages have been created to overcome this challenge. These languages make it easy to develop programs. They’re sometimes referred to as high-level languages.

These languages must also be translated before they may be used. In this situation, the translation program is referred to as a “computer program.” It is a standard translation application developed and distributed by computer makers.

It’s a program that converts programs written in languages other than the machine code of a particular computer into instructions that the computer can understand. The language barrier between humans and computers has been broken down as a result of this.

2. Standard Programs

As a sales technique, computer makers provide pre-made programs that are used by a large number of customers at no additional cost. Standard programs are those that are created in a standard way format for applications that can be utilized by a large number of people.

3. Computer Programming Debugging

In the first place, only a small percentage of programs are accurate. In most cases, the software has mistakes. Debugging a program is the process of eliminating these mistakes (or bugs). In a program, there are two sorts of mistakes that a programmer must deal with. Syntax and logical mistakes are two types of errors.

4. System Of Binary Codes

It is a technique of expressing numerical value using a two-number numbering system. There are just two digits in this system: 1 and 0. When supply is depleted, the zero digits are utilized as an emergency digit. Because the quantity of one digit quickly depletes, the usage of zero is quite common. Thus, data is represented in a binary coding system using 0s and ls, and this system is utilized to represent data on a computer.

5. Numeral System

There are 10 numbers in this system: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0. When all other numbers from 1 to 9 have been utilized, the tenth digit zero is used as an emergency digit. The zero digits should be utilized methodically, starting with the first digit (10), then the second digit (20), the third digit (30), and so on. As a result, the decimal system’s base is 10.

Scanners are devices that allow you to enter data directly into your computer without having to type it in manually.

Flow Chart:

A flow chart depicts the steps that must be followed to solve an issue. The operational instructions are put in boxes with arrows connecting them to show the execution sequence. These diagrams assist in the creation of programs and are easier to grasp than a narrative explanation at a glance. A flow chart, also known as a flow diagram, is a graphic that depicts a process.

6. Ddp Stands For Distributed Data Processing

DDP is a system in which computation and other resources are distributed among several locations rather than being concentrated in a single location. The locations where computers are installed are linked.

There is some kind of communication link between the places where the computer resources and users are located in this system. A distributed data processing system can be effectively used by manufacturing, trade, or service organization such as banking.

Through the internet, any database in any part of the world may be linked. The term “internet” refers to a collection of various networks. The most significant benefit of the internet is the ability to access information from anywhere on the globe.

It’s an information system that helps people communicate within a company, especially between departments, divisions, and regional offices that are spread out throughout the country. It makes information more accessible and lowers the expense of documentation. The amount of time it takes to find information is likewise lowered.

7. Generations Of Computers:

Each computer generation sees the introduction of significantly enhanced hardware technology, resulting in significant improvements in processing speeds, data storage capacity, and versatility over prior generations, as well as changes in software features.

The majority of today’s computers are referred to as fourth-generation computers, however, fifth-generation machines with more sophisticated technologies are also available.

In data transmission, a modem is an encoding and decoding device. In a data communication system, it transforms a digital computer signal to an analog telephone signal and back.

The Program That Has Been Saved:

The control unit of the central processing unit (CPU) commands the stored program, which allows the computer to process data automatically without constant human interaction at various stages of processing.

8. Custom-made Software Vs. Ready-made Software

Standard programs that are used by a large number of people are known as ready-made software. Computer firms create such programmers for the advantage of a large number of consumers. Ready-made software is less expensive and takes less time to implement. Modification of such software is expensive and not always doable.

Custom software, on the other hand, is created in response to a user’s particular needs. A custom-made program takes a long time to build and is far more expensive than ready-made software. In custom-made software, incorporating changes is simple, and the hardware setup typically does not need to be altered.

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Why elementary and high school students should learn computer programming

Chargé de cours en technologie éducative; Doctorant en éducation (didactique de la programmation), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

Professeur titulaire / Full professor, Département de didactique, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

Disclosure statement

Hugo G. Lapierre received funding from CRSH (Programme de bourses d’études supérieures du Canada Joseph-Armand-Bombardier - Bourse au doctorat) and from FRQSC (Bourses de formation au doctorat).

Patrick Charland is co-holder of the Chaire UNESCO de développement curriculaire and director of Institut d'études internationales de Montréal at Université du Québec à Montréal. Several of his projects are funded by Fonds de recherche du Québec (Société et Culture) and by the Conseil de recherche en sciences humaines du Canada.

Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA-FR.

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Ontario recently announced a partial reform of its elementary and secondary school curricula to include mandatory learning on coding , as of September 2022.

As researchers with combined expertise in teaching computer programming and curriculum development, it’s clear to us that this curricula is about computer programming, despite the fact that the province only uses the term “coding.” Coding is a most basic aspect of learning programming.

Ontario’s decision is in line with those taken by Nova Scotia and British Columbia , which were the first and only Canadian provinces to make learning computer programming compulsory at the primary and secondary levels in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

In the rest of the world, many governments have also made this change, such as Estonia as early as 2012 , the United Kingdom in 2014 , and South Korea in 2017 .

But what are the arguments put forward to motivate the integration of computer science, and more specifically computer programming, into the school curriculum of students? Research highlights three main arguments on this subject that will be discussed in this article.

The lead author of this story, Hugo, is a researcher at the UNESCO Chair in Curriculum Development and a lecturer in the Department of Didactics in Educational Technology. His thesis project in educational sciences at Université du Québec à Montréal focuses on the impact of learning computer programming on young learners.

Meeting the growing needs of the job market

The evolution of the global job market represents one of the motivations at the heart of the integration of programming in school curricula. This motivation, widely promoted by policy-makers, is essentially linked to the need to train more people with programming skills. Indeed, technological knowledge, particularly in the high-tech sector, has been driving economic growth in North America and elsewhere in the world for over 20 years. A growing number of jobs require a deep understanding of technology .

This number of jobs is actually expected to increase in the coming years considering that data science, artificial intelligence and decentralization technologies (such as blockchain technology , on which cryptocurrencies are based) are becoming increasingly dominant areas of the economic sector. Teaching coding from an early age could thus be a way to facilitate countries’ immersion and performance in the digital economy .

Some studies also argue that exposing students to computer programming early in the school curriculum could have a positive impact on the identity they develop with respect to this field, considering that there are many stereotypes associated with it (mainly that “computer science is only for boys”). In this respect, arguments that go beyond the economic benefits can be evoked.

Promoting social equity

According to several authors, greater exposure to computer science by teaching young people how to program could also help promote greater social equity in terms of representation and access to technological professions .

On the one hand, computer science skills can indeed provide access to well-paying jobs, which could help provide greater financial stability for marginalized groups who have not had the opportunity to accumulate wealth in recent generations. On the other hand, the increased participation of people from under-represented groups in computing (women, Indigenous people, Black people) could also promote diversity in the field, and ultimately result in an increase in the total number of workers.

In addition, there is a related argument that greater diversity within the workforce would lead to better products , accessible to a greater portion of consumers in the marketplace . Too much homogeneity among workers leads to the design of products and services that cater to a relatively narrow spectrum of individuals and problems, which may reinforce some inequalities .

Researchers advancing this equity argument argue that if early and intentional steps are not taken to foster greater diversity, this could result in a “digital gap” or an opportunity difference between dominant and marginalized groups, much more pronounced in the coming years . All youth learning to program could in this sense represent a measure to decrease this gap and promote greater social equity, which is in line with United Nations’ Goal 4 about inclusivity and equality in education .

Developing learners’ cognitive skills

Finally, the most commonly mentioned argument concerns the role programming would play in developing computational thinking in learners . Defined and popularized in 2006 , the concept of computational thinking refers to the skills of “problem solving, system design, and understanding human behaviour based on the fundamental concepts of computer science.”

Several authors argue that the development of such computational thinking would be beneficial for the learners, as it would allow them to develop high-level reasoning skills that can be transferred to other learning , such as problem solving, creativity and abstraction.

For these reasons, computational thinking is often embedded within new programming curricula, such as in England’s curriculum , where it is stated that “high quality computer science education equips students to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.”

The introduction of programming into the school curriculum could therefore have a benefit for all students, even those who are not destined for a technological career, as they could benefit from computational thinking in their daily lives in a more cross-curricular way.

It is important to note, however, that these beneficial effects for the learner, although widely discussed and increasingly documented, still need to be shown through more research involving comparative and longitudinal aspects . Hugo’s thesis project examines this perspective.

In sum, it appears that Ontario’s decision-makers have seen the potential triple benefit of youth learning computer coding for the future. However, the major challenge now facing the Ontario government is the lack of sufficiently qualified teachers to adequately introduce this complex discipline to students .

Adequate staff training will be a key requirement for successful integration, as demonstrated by a 2014 report about computer programming integration in the U.K. One potential solution could be to integrate programming into the initial university training of future teachers.

This article was originally published in French

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Essay on computer programming.

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The below mentioned essay provides a note on computer programming:- 1. Introduction to Computer Programming 2. Standard Computer Programmes 3. Debugging 4. Binary Code System 5. Decimal System 6. Distributed Data Processing (DDP) 7. Computer Generations 8. Ready-Made Software and Custom-Made Software.

• Essay on Ready-Made Software and Custom-Made Software

Essay # 1. Introduction to Computer Programming:

Programme is a sequence of instructions written in a proper language through which the computer can understand and solve the problem given to it. It is the method by which the whole computing process is directed and controlled. Preparing a programme for the computer is known as “programming”.

A programme should be recorded on a proper medium which the computer can process. Usually punched cards are used for this purpose. Each computer can understand one language which is known as “machine language”.

Machine language contains use of numeral codes and each computer has its own machine language. It is very difficult to write a programme in this language. To obliterate this difficulty, some other languages have been developed.

These can be grouped into following two categories:

Thus, in a binary code system the data is represented in terms of 0’s and l’s and this system is used to represent data on a computer.

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Essay # 5. Decimal System :

In this system there are ten digits— 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0. The tenth digit zero is called emergency digit and is to be used when all other digits from 1 to 9 are exhausted. The zero digit is to be used in a systematic way i.e. first with first digit (10), then with second digit (20) and then with third digit (30) and so on and so forth. Thus, the base of decimal system is 10.

Scanners are devices which allow direct data entry into the computer without doing any manual data entry.

Flow Chart :

A flow chart illustrates the sequence of operations to be performed to arrive at the solution of a problem. The operating instructions are placed in boxes which are connected by arrows to indicate the order of execution. These charts are an aid to writing programmes and are easier to understand at a glance than a narrative description. A flow charts also known as a flow diagram.

While preparing flow charts, certain conventions have come into use as given below:

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The Thorny Ethics of Computer Programming

A surprisingly wide-ranging discussion broke out last month among computer programmers to which ethical lines they just won’t cross. Coders have been sharing their own horror stories in highly-trafficked discussions on Medium , Hacker News , and Reddit . Collectively all the stories offered a glimpse into the unexpected challenges lurking in the developer world today.

This high-minded viral discussion started in mid-November when Bill Sourour shared an essay on Medium called “ The Code I’m Still Ashamed Of .” Sourour is a teacher (and consultant), and he’s preparing to launch a website called DevMastery.com . “I’ve made a great living developing and architecting enterprise-class systems for nearly 20 years and I would like to find a way to give back,” he writes on his site.”  But maybe that’s what prompted him to reflect on one ethical question he’s faced.

Sixteen years ago Sourour built a website at his client’s request promoting a prescription drug while masquerading as an online quiz — despite Canada’s strict laws on medical marketing. No matter how people answered, the site always recommended the same drug. Right before the happy client took the team out for a steak dinner, a coworker sent him a news story about a teenaged girl who’d committed suicide after taking their drug — Its side effects had included severe depression and suicidal thoughts.

Litigation over its side effects continue to this day, Sourour writes, noting he’s still haunted by the experience. “It’s easy to make an argument that I had no part in it at all. Still, I’ve never felt okay about writing that code.”

Now he’s urging other programmers to consider the effects of their own code. “As developers, we are often one of the last lines of defense against potentially dangerous and unethical practices.” And he sees this as something worth considering as we look towards a future with self-driving cars and AIs that can diagnose diseases. “The more software continues to take over every aspect of our lives, the more important it will be for us to take a stand and ensure that our ethics are ever-present in our code.”

But what’s been fascinating is to see an online discussion break out about just how high the stakes can be — and all of the ethics-related resources that were shared along the way.

Several of the commenters cited Uncle Bob —  Robert Cecil Martin , co-author of the Agile Manifesto — and Sourour says his article was inspired by one of Bob’s recent talks last December in Denmark. “There are no ethics,” Bob tells his audience. “We have never defined ethics to our job… And this is a problem because we rule the world.

“We didn’t know this, we didn’t want it, but it has become true… Other people think they rule the world, but then they write the rules down, and they give them to us…”

Another commenter shared a video by Alan Cooper, “the father of Visual Basic” to make the point that developers and UX designer “have more power than you think.” Someone also shared a video of a 2014 presentation by designer Mike Monteiro with the ominous title “ How Designers Destroyed the World .” And another commenter posted a link to a YouTube video describing” the impact of Great Design ” a talk from the NYC Digital Product Design meetup.

From Merry Prankster to Infrastructure Gnome

The shared resources came in many forms. Someone from an IT management consulting firm shared a linked to the new site SoftwareEthics.org , as well as a recent blog post highlighting its importance. Another commenter even shared the link to a 2012 essay by open source advocate Eric Raymond describing the transitioning role of programmers “from merry prankster to infrastructure gnome.”

“[H]aving created the future, we have to maintain it. And, as the sinews of civilization become ever more dependent on the Internet and software-intensive communications devices, that responsibility gets more serious every year,” Raymond wrote.

Some commenters also shared their own personal experiences. J. H. Stephenson, a college instructor and IT/Information Marketing Consultant said that when he had written his doctoral dissertation on ethics and morality in software development, he  discovered something disturbing . He’d surveyed developers, several of whom reported they’d never encountered ethical issues, while later sharing examples of it.

“It does raise a lot of questions about just how much developers understand about the impact that ethical choices have on the applications they develop and the people who use them, or are used by them,” Stephenson wrote.

The article also gave coders a chance to share their own horror stories. For example, one Medium reader remembered working on a Medicare billing system in the 1990s, and discovering that it was designed to automatically (and illegally) pad all of its bills. Instead of looking away, they’d assembled (and anonymously submitted) evidence to the Medicare fraud division. The end result? “Client A got audited, audited, and audited some more, then fined. Action on the second site took over a year to commence. Client B got fined and shut down. So that was cool.”

And Rob Carr — who’s been running his software company, MyProgrammer, for 20 years —  remembered a project for a client with an investment firm promising returns up to 15 percent — mostly to clients in their 70s. “Ultimately the guy fled the country, dying in a prison in France. We helped the authorities try to recover as much money as possible… I believe this scam cost investors over $500 million.”

Developer Scott Powell also had his own story to share . “I felt a similar twinge of guilt writing some time-tracking software for a legal firm in England, and after demoing it was told that starting a timer should *not* stop any currently running one. (this was single user software, back in DOS days, btw) Being able to bill many clients at a time struck me as being pretty dodgy.”

And the article also struck a nerve with iOS developer Jose Juan Qm , who’s now working on a project that involves medical patients and their exam results. He felt the requirements document included vague definitions of “healthy” results which could lead to risky behaviors, and “Reading your article made me realize I should not give up on that matter.”

Another commenter shared some history. “Engineers used to wear a special engineers’ ring on the right pinkie. The surface of it was stippled or ridged so that it would drag on the drafting paper when the engineer did his drawings. The idea of it was that it as there to remind the engineer of the grave responsibility he had. That every decision he made could possibly kill someone.”

Hugues Talbot sees ethics becoming an even bigger issue with machine learning-based artificial intelligence. “They produce rules based on input and annotated data, and the rules are not human-readable…” he wrote in a comment . “Soon we will have seemingly very high performing software that no one can tell [what it] will do faced with unforeseen circumstances.”

Julile Bort, an enterprise computing editor for Business Insider, took note of the burgeoning conversation , in an article which reminded readers about the ACM’s Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice , as well as the IEEE’s own Code of Ethics .

Some of the comments on Reddit were distinctly more sardonic. One developer drew 2,135 upvotes for comment on Reddit describing how they wrote badly-functioning code that only technically met the design specs . But the code’s purpose was to distribute copyright violations from big movie and music studios, so they were actually glad that it wasn’t functioning as intended.

Another commenter recommended everyone read the ethics textbook A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues for Computing Technology (now in its 4th edition). This drew a funny response when someone complained about the book’s price tag, and asked if there was a file-sharing site where they could download a copy.

“Let me get this straight, you want to pirate a book on ethics?”

Another commenter attracted 2,802 upvotes simply by posting a quote from Nathaniel S. Borenstein , one of the original designers of the MIME email protocol. It should be noted that no ethically-trained software engineer would ever consent to write a DestroyBaghdad procedure.

“Basic professional ethics would instead require him to write a DestroyCity procedure, to which Baghdad could be given as a parameter.”

There seemed to be some question as to how much power developers really have. “What I’ve discovered over the years is simply if you refuse to build it they’ll get someone else to do it, and someone else certainly will,” wrote one commenter . “That’s not to say you should, just that you as a developer have very little power to actually stop it.”

Another added a wider perspective . “I personally think this is not just a developer issue, but affects every person living in a society… the sad thing about our industry to me is that sometimes it seems we give up before putting up any fight. ”

But one geek still felt compelled to point out that it’s also possible to be ashamed of code for other reasons. “To be honest, I was kind of hoping to see some beautifully ugly piece of code when I clicked the title…” wrote another commenter on Medium .

“But yeah, ethics matter and far too many developers/engineers fail to realize that.”