I don’t have a vast knowledge of any one thing. I’m a generalist. My specialty is knowing useful bits about many things. Nor do I have much formal training in computing—nothing like a university degree in computer science. My undergraduate degree is in history. 1/ https://twitter.com/jordnbrwn/status/1328557584626946048

I wrote some of my first programs using punched cards and some others on a Commodore VIC-20 with 3k of RAM. It’s hard to compare that experience to the way we write programs today. 2/

I have a practical understanding of data structures and algorithms. Step by step over the years, I reduced my ignorance as specific gaps in my knowledge became the important factor blocking me from doing what I wanted to do. 3/

As I was learning, I wrote a lot of programs. A lot. I took my computer on vacations. I wrote programs on the plane, on the shore, in the mountains, everywhere. I finished projects, then I started new ones, and then I finished those. Skill through repetition. 4/

Today, I consider myself a product developer, not a software engineer or computer scientist, so asking me about my expertise with data structures and algorithms is like asking a furniture maker if they’re an expert on tool metal or wood science. 5/

Such technical knowledge might help, but it’s rarely, if ever, the key factor in producing excellent results. 6/

If you’re concerned about your technical knowledge level in an area, don’t fret. You can learn technical knowledge. It’s just another skill. Go study. 7/

The more important ability is to know what you’re trying to accomplish. Focus your attention on what is blocking you from your short-term goals. Figure out how to clear these blockages. Getting good at that is more important than any individual bit of technical knowledge. 8/8