## Fellow travelers
-Whenever we think of programmers we tend to think of someone sitting in front of a computer entering code; the glow of the monitor reflecting off of their face. Usually the programmer is alone (though there are methodologies that utilize more than one programmer at a time, "pair-programming" for instance). During those coding sessions there isn't a lot of contact with other programmers and it can feel isolating being in the company of yourself. Granted this can be a good feeling (there are times when I really enjoy being alone at the computer, fully engaged and focused), but there are other times when we need to feel like we're not alone in programming. This is especially true when we're learning and pushing ourselves into uncomfortable territory. Finding others in similar situations can help us with our learning process. Others can help us by fielding our questions and reviewing our progress. Finding a good community that is supportive in our learning is essential on our programming journey. When we have a good community we have somewhere that we can learn and help others learn. We can grow in the community and find support.
+Whenever we think of programmers we tend to think of someone sitting in front of a computer entering code; the glow of the monitor reflecting off of their face. Usually the programmer is alone (though there are methodologies that utilize more than one programmer at a time, "pair-programming" for instance). During those coding sessions there isn't a lot of contact with other programmers and it can feel isolating being in the company of yourself. Granted this can be a good feeling (there are times when I really enjoy being alone at the computer, fully engaged and focused), but there are other times when we need to feel like we're not alone. This is especially true when we're learning and pushing ourselves into uncomfortable territory. Finding others in similar situations can help us with our learning process. Others can help us by fielding our questions and reviewing our progress. Finding a good community that is supportive in our learning is essential on our programming journey. When we have a good community we have a place where we can learn and help others learn. We can grow in the community and find support.
A good community is one that strengthens us and those around us. It nurtures us and provides us shelter. It is a safe place where we don't have to keep our guard up from attacks on ourselves and others. It holds people accountable to each other. We can trust the members of the community and feel that trust is reciprocated. Good communities exist without competition and ego, where members can express themselves openly and accept others as they are.
That's a tricky question.
-Most programming languages have some form of community centered around them. Some have mailing lists or other communication channels that you can join and participate in. Unfortunately, most popular languages have spaces that are difficult to follow, especially when you're trying to learn. I know I have joined the main channel for a popular language only to be overrun with multiple conversations happening at once. Mailing lists designed to support beginners can have major amounts of traffic, and that traffic can be overwhelming when you're trying to understand the basics of the language while trying to keep up with the deluge of mail in your inbox. Reading the archives of the mailing list or chat can help determine if you're ready for that level of traffic and if the conversations are what you'd like to participate in. Remember: this is to help you along your journey. Throwing yourself into a crowded room only to be inundated by the amount of conversations and cacophony will only make you feel more isolated and unwelcome.
+Most programming languages have some form of community centered around them. Some have mailing lists or other communication channels that you can join and participate in. Unfortunately, most popular languages have spaces that are difficult to follow, especially when you're trying to learn. I know I have joined the main channel for a popular language only to be overrun with multiple conversations happening at once. Mailing lists designed to support beginners can have major amounts of traffic, and that traffic can be overwhelming when you're trying to understand the basics of the language while trying to keep up with the deluge of mail in your inbox. Reading the archives of the mailing list or chat can help determine if you're ready for that level of traffic and if the conversations on the list are the types of conversations you enjoy. Remember: this is to help you along your journey. Throwing yourself into a crowded room only to be inundated by the amount of conversations and cacophony will only make you feel more isolated and unwelcome.
Some programming languages have local user groups. Those can seem intimidating at first, especially if the group has been around for a long while. I know I was intimidated before I went to my first user group for fear of what I might find inside. What I found was a group of folks who were interested in the topics that I was interested in. I've made lasting friendships through users groups and I encourage you to see if they might work for you.
-If you're at a loss for finding the right group (perhaps you're in an area where you feel you're the only person who shares your interests) you might consider starting your own or branch off of an existing group. My friend Rick and I started a local branch of a group called Coffee House Coders where coders meet once a week for a few hours to sit and code. All we did was post the times that we were meeting and just show up with a laptop to code. We've met some amazing folks along the way, and we've kept the group going for many years. Starting a group is an act of courage. There have been many evenings where I've sat alone in a coffee shop waiting to see if others would show up. That's fine. People get busy and interests fade over time. What is important is creating the space for ourselves and others to feel welcome. For us that meant finding a local coffee shop that was open late at night and had ample space for setting down a laptop. (It also helps to find a place that has electrical power so folks can charge their batteries if necessary).
+If you're at a loss for finding the right group (perhaps you're in an area where you feel you're the only person who shares your interests) you might consider starting your own or branch off of an existing group. My friend Rick and I started a local branch of a group called Coffee House Coders where coders meet once a week for a few hours to sit and code. All we did was post the times and places that we were meeting and told folks to just show up with a laptop to code. We've met some amazing folks along the way, and we've kept the group going for many years. Starting a group is an act of courage. There have been many evenings where I've sat alone in a coffee shop waiting to see if others would show up. That's fine. People get busy and interests fade over time. What is important is creating the space for ourselves and others to feel welcome. For us that meant finding a local coffee shop that was open late at night and had ample space for setting down a laptop. It also helps to find a place that has electrical power so folks can charge their batteries if necessary.
There are many ways to be creative with starting a community. The advent of online tools allows you to build communities with folks across the globe. Bringing these folks together to talk and discuss ideas and offer help is amazing when it happens. Sometimes it can be as simple as creating a chat room around a common interest. Explore what's out there, and if it doesn't meet your needs feel free to create your own.
projects / themediocreprogrammer.git / commitdiff