Comments on: OSCON 2007: The Holistic Programmer http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/08/04/oscon-2007-the-holistic-programmer/ News, opinion, and fresh thinking for web developers and designers. The official podcast of sitepoint.com. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:02:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: mde http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/08/04/oscon-2007-the-holistic-programmer/#comment-327926 mde Tue, 07 Aug 2007 03:41:15 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/08/04/oscon-2007-the-holistic-programmer/#comment-327926 That's why I really liked this talk -- I have a degree in English Lit, and I've found it really valuable to have taught myself stuff in areas outside of UI development like SQL and sysadmin stuff. It really provide fresh ways to think about problems, and helps me relate better to the other guys on my team. That’s why I really liked this talk — I have a degree in English Lit, and I’ve found it really valuable to have taught myself stuff in areas outside of UI development like SQL and sysadmin stuff. It really provide fresh ways to think about problems, and helps me relate better to the other guys on my team.

]]> By: mrsmiley http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/08/04/oscon-2007-the-holistic-programmer/#comment-326412 mrsmiley Sun, 05 Aug 2007 23:24:21 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/08/04/oscon-2007-the-holistic-programmer/#comment-326412 When I started my engineering degree, I was specialising in electrical engineering. Yet in the first of four years, they make you do one semester in each type of engineering (materials, mechanical, context, chemical, etc) for the very reasons you've mentioned above. I've also found that in web development it has translated well to the sales process. It's much easier to sell yourself and your skills if you can hold your own in a conversation in an area you do not specialise in. Sure I don't know the intricacies of chemical engineering, but at least if I hear the terms mass flow rate I have a rough idea of what they are talking about. When I started my engineering degree, I was specialising in electrical engineering. Yet in the first of four years, they make you do one semester in each type of engineering (materials, mechanical, context, chemical, etc) for the very reasons you’ve mentioned above.

I’ve also found that in web development it has translated well to the sales process. It’s much easier to sell yourself and your skills if you can hold your own in a conversation in an area you do not specialise in. Sure I don’t know the intricacies of chemical engineering, but at least if I hear the terms mass flow rate I have a rough idea of what they are talking about.

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