4/1/2021
Hello World, Again
I first saw "Hello World!" in a textbook for the fundamentals of programming, Big Java 5&6. Clearly a tired old reference by programmers long since retired. Then it appeared again in Intro to C Programming. Then more any time I looked for basic answers to programming questions online. It has since become a welcome sight. I recognize it not only as a beacon for beginners, but a waypoint for even the most experienced programmer when acclimating to new environments.
I'm a firm believer in learning by doing. There is no better example of this for any language than Hello World. I've displayed this in the terminal when I first got a Macbook. I've written it to databases to ensure I understand how to manipulate them. I've done it in phone apps, rendered text in a graphics engine, and written it to log files. Being able to make this text appear is that first taste of reassurance to be had in the beginnings of a new pursuit. You'll know you got the syntax right, figured out how to get the runtime started, and have a way to register changes to text!
Seeing even this simple text is the direct feedback I crave. I've struggled with impostor syndrome for my entire career. No amount of training, certifications, successful product deliveries, fixed bugs, and pats on the back were enough to erase that feeling. But when I perform this basic text manipulation in a new language, I get a visceral rush of optimism that a new world options are now available. That feeling of uncertainty has largely gone away and I now shamelessly ask for clarity and simplified explanations as often as possible. I now know unfamiliarity lies around every corner, and thats ok.
Most recently I set out starting from scratch once again.I was studying Japanese characters the past few weeks to try and maintain some of the literacy that seemd to be slipping away and turned to phone apps to help. But none of them had the kind of home screen functionality I wanted which would entice (nag?) me with unfamiliar characters the moment I unlocked my phone. I envisioned a widget with a daily carousel of random characters to sit right next to my weather and alarm clock. Sure there are already app shortcuts and daily study streak widgets, but I wanted something more *in your face*. Naively, I thought, this should definitely exist, it can't be that hard to make.
So I started something new. A brand new programming environment: Android Studio IDE, a brand new language: Kotlin, and a brand new design: Home Screen Widgets.
Hello World! Again.
Edit: Follow link to see how far I've gotten -> Kanjiji