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The future is coding: 8 reasons why it is important.

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Not long ago I posted about the breakthrough of Chinese scientists in developing the LiFi (Light Fidelity), a new technology that uses visible light from LED bulbs to transfer data much faster than radio wave-based WiFi. With this discovery, we could be waving goodbye to WiFi. It is therefore not far-fetched to say that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is already upon us. We are already witnessing new ways in which technology is embedded within our social life and even physically in the human body. Today, I came across a piece originally published by The Irish Times on why coding is the thing for the future and decided to share. Coding simply means the process of assigning a code to something for classification or identification. Technically it can be described as a type of programming that closely represents how a processor executes instructions. Coding made the creation of software, apps and websites possible. Your internet explorer or chrome, WhatsApp and Facebook wouldn’t be there without coding. So here are 8 reasons why you may want to consider learning to code. 1. Code rules everything around me, cream get the money All major tech companies, from Google to Facebook, aggressively compete to hire gifted young coders. In the Silicon Valley area, for example, some reports suggest engineering graduates from Stanford University expect their starting salary to be nothing less than $100,000-120,000. “It’s fair to say that for school-leavers looking to maximise their potential income, few other skills open the door to as many well-paying and varied careers,” says Prof Rory O’Connor, head of the school of computing at Dublin City University. 2. Make code, not war Coding bridges the universal divide. It is the one language that connects different nationalities and countries. “We live in trying times and are pummelled each day by the news of cultural divisiveness,” says Doreen Lorenzo, founding director of the centre for integrated design at the University of Texas in Austin and board member and adviser for several startups. “If we look for common ground to bring countries together, coding is one of the rare exceptions. Everyone speaks the same language. There are no prejudices and no boundaries. People are unified to create. 3. Machines cannot code While many more jobs will continue to be lost to automation, ultimately it is coders who control what is automated. “You will always be in demand despite the predictions of your demise,” says Lorenzo. “Machines are machines. As they become smarter the fear is that human jobs may be replaced by the machine. That is true, but someone will have to code those machines. As those machines learn and begin to “code” themselves, humans will create and programme the next evolution of artificial intelligence. After all, humans have the empathetic ability to see when something new should be created.” 4. Coding… the real Esperanto Coding is used in almost all aspects of life and work now, be it directly or indirectly. It’s not just for companies in the tech sector. “An increasing number of businesses rely on computer code, from accountants using complex spreadsheets, to artists and designers using graphics software,” says Prof O’Connor. “Tensions between engineers and business people can arise due to a misunderstanding or lack of appreciation for the engineer’s job. An understanding of coding, across business functions, can eliminate such disconnect.” 5. The language of maths Literature and maths are two disciplines frequently polarised – formally and academically but consequently by individuals also. Coding straddles the divide between the two. It is the language of maths and has the power to be used for both creative and technical pursuits. “Computational thinking is a vital skill for the future,” says O’Connor. “While not every job in the future will involve coding, by learning to code or at least to understand the basic language of computers, you will develop an appreciation of how software engineers use maths and algorithms in code and thereby learn how to problem solve and to think both logically and creatively.” 6. “We’ve only just begun [coding]” – Karen Carpenter Programming is still in its infancy. In fact, two of the very first programming languages ever invented are still being used today: Fortran (developed in 1957) and Cobol. “This does not mean that we are using old technology,” says Josue Balandrano Coronel from the Texas advanced computing centre at the University of Texas at Austin. “Those programming languages are being used in very narrow contexts. Even so, this shows us programming has barely started on its own evolutionary path. UNIX was developed in 1969 and TCP/IP (the protocol powering “the internet”) was introduced as the standard in 1982 while the first iPhone was introduced in 2007. So although it may appear as if technology is advancing rapidly, we are witnessing something that is growing exponentially with much room for improvement. Fifty years from now, programming will not be anything like we know it today.” 7. Bringing code to Newcastle – there will always be new problems to solve Some will remember the scenes from the 1980s as thousands of coal miners took to the streets in pointless protest against the inevitable demise of their industry. Industries rise and fall as new technologies emerge. But we’re not likely to see code miners losing their jobs anytime soon. “This is the beauty of being a software developer,” says Coronel. “Not a single piece of software is built in solitude. There’s a team behind it, meaning two projects can never be the same. This makes programming an art. There will always be problems to solve. Computers are and will continue to be the cornerstone to building great things.” 8. “The world is one big data problem” – Andrew McAfee Second only to AI, the talk of the town for techies is “big data”. Being able to analyse large sets of data has always been an important yet difficult task. However, while we may have far easier access to data, it is arguably harder than ever to make sense of. Regardless, answers to fundamental questions are literally all around us

Blog, Essays, Monishots

What Do You do for a living?

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We are, you might say, “brainwashed” into thinking that money is the source of happiness while what we really need to know is that inner peace is something that comes from within. ~Dalai Lama

Opinion Articles, Writers

The Very Things That Make Us Human by Abdulrazaq Ariwoola

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The birth of the internet has revolutionized the world in many ways. In couple of decades, what was thought impossible centuries ago became possible, and humanity entered a new era that would for centuries to come be relevant. There is hardly anyone who hasn’t been touched by the hands of the internet, albeit the economic conditions that might hinder their access. It is the new normal, and the coming of the internet has forced the creation of a dual personae; a physical, and a digital one. Like every other person privileged to have considerable amount of access to the digital world, I have benefited immensely from its presence, and likewise, I have been on the wrong side of it. Through the digital world, tasks which oftentimes take weeks to execute are completed under hours, saving one the time, and energy that would have been otherwise expended on doing them physically. Most importantly, the digital world has aided in relationship sustenance. Rather than wait out the long absence of a beloved one, a quick tap on a phone or a click on a laptop could transport a person miles away, and land one at the front of the desk of the other person. Not without its flaws, my active digital presence has made me lose time that would have been better spent doing other things. It is a world that draws one in, and leaves no option of immediate return possible. While pending work compiles, one might be giggling to memes on twitter or funny skits on Instagram; all elements of the digital world meant to keep you within its grasp. And therein lies the greatest danger, which without caution, robs one of a time that never stops counting. However, there are more to the digital world than these aforementioned benefits and ills. Some days ago, prominent Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie went all out in laying bare the issues plaguing the world today. The distrust is so pervasive and it is hurting the very fabric upon which our societies are built. It is no surprise then to see people divulging information that should have rather been kept private, calling out people and trying to justify their actions regardless of whether it is right or wrong. In the digital world, a friend this second could be an enemy in the next. The digital world gives freedom to explore without limit, express opinions without boundaries, and maintain an identity mile apart from who you are as a person. There is in the digital world the notion that perfection is the only attribute that passes, and where one’s vulnerability surfaces, the human criticism emerges. With little to zero policing of what should be acceptable, everyone has become a King in their own right, attacking viciously any opinion that counters theirs. Alas, we have forgotten what it means to be human. The consequences are damning and far-reaching, more than many would come to terms with. Little by little, the human nexus that connects us all is being lost and replaced by the terms of the digital world which accepts nothing but perfection. The freedom of expression and relation which ought to come naturally in the digital world is now restricted. People are more scared of being criticized and people who lack the very things they preach have become the judge and jury constituents of the digital world. ‘Savagery’ is the order of the day without recourse to what impact such harsh expression might have on the person. It is a mad man’s world. It is however difficult to separate the digital world from human affairs. In fact, it is the vehicle that drives the continued propulsion of the human species. However, the consequences would be graver going forward if a recourse isn’t made to reevaluating the sustenance of pure human relationship. In the digital world we find company but in the physical world we find love; love without criticism or judgement. One not aimed at exposing vulnerabilities but rather understanding and appreciating the dynamism of being human. The first step in the right direction would be to limit the use. As espoused earlier, major parts of our lives are now concentrated in the digital world, leaving little space to appreciate the physical self. Families rarely spend time with each other, substituting that with texts and phone calls that might do not nothing but widen the gap. However, the digital and physical presence could complement each other; where it would suffice to meet physically, a digital option should not be adopted. More physical interaction should be encouraged and humanity should prevail. Further, there should be the imposition of legal penalties on hate speech and the propeller of such speeches. False accusations on digital platforms should be treated with seriousness and those found guilty should be duly prosecuted. Things that constitute hate speech should be clearly defined and made public for widespread awareness. Other activities that would help reduce number of hours spent online should be encouraged too. Community activities should be promoted and incentives should be provided to drive participation. In conclusion, social interaction between people now takes a different dimension than it used to. When the internet was still a soothsaying, there were much acceptance and respect for everyone. Its coming however is continuously reshaping how relate with each other, and since it would be practically impossible to scrap the digital world, we should explore ways through which gaps could be bridged and there would be more acceptance of the differences that make us unique as humans.   Abdulrasaq Ariwoola is currently a 400 level law student at the University of Lagos. He has interests in creative writing and has previously published one of his short stories on The Kalahari Review. He can be reached via abdulrasaqariwoola@gmail.com

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