I'm here to collect a poll regarding on how people prioritize these two basic choices. These choices can assist each other, depending on what we're currently doing, and how we manage it.

Progress, it determines how far we can achieve towards our goal when we're doing something (projects). In order to make progress, we must first construct a method that relies on techniques, then use the known method to continue progressing. Progress is not the goal of something (project).

Technique, it is a skill learned from doing something (projects) in order to make progress. In order to learn a technique, we start from the basics, then move on towards intermediate and advanced levels, all the while, applying them to something (project) so that we can achieve progress.

If we were to learn something first, we first learn the techniques before we apply them, therefore we can make progress only after we've learned those techniques. If we were to make progress first, we would start off with the basics of our techniques we'd learned from the past, and apply them directly, therefore we can achieve progress before learning more techniques.

However, if we were to prioritize "progress", we won't be able to have the opportunity to learn better techniques to make our work faster, more reliable, etc. If we were to prioritize "technique", we won't be able to have faster progresses in our work, deadlines will be in need of postponing, etc.

In short, to make progress, we need to learn techniques. To learn techniques, we need to achieve progress among them. It's a rather crude, vague cycle that continues to revolve around when we're learning and yearning.


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Which choice will you choose to prioritize over the other? Why?

Eh.....

this doesn't make much sense to me. You are never faced with a choice between progress and technique.

If you choose progress, how will you get there without technique? If you choose technique, how will you learn that technique without making progress learning it?

Sorry but this question seems nonsensical. Maybe you can tell us about why you're asking this -- that might help figure out exactly how to answer you.

Eh.....

this doesn't make much sense to me. You are never faced with a choice between progress and technique.

If you choose progress, how will you get there without technique? If you choose technique, how will you learn that technique without making progress learning it?

Sorry but this question seems nonsensical. Maybe you can tell us about why you're asking this -- that might help figure out exactly how to answer you.

How can I say this... um..

It's a dilemma I'm having. I wanted to make progress and learn techniques at the same time in programming, but I just can't seem to do both things at the same time. It's probably some obsessiveness in my mind that's trying to work these two out for me.

I need to focus on one of the two, so that I can start controlling myself on what to do and continue my studies at a steady pace. Right now, since March, I have been having this dilemma, causing my project to falter behind a lot. Now, I'm simply placing the project to one side, so I can fix myself. What should I do? What do I need to do so that I can learn techniques and make a steady progress in my project?

Or what should I sacrifice, in order to gain the other? And am I asking this thread in an inappropriate forum?

If i get ya, are you asking if by making progress on a project you feel like your sacrificing that time which you could better use learning new "techniques"? Hmm i get ya, but i think it's a false dichotomy.. Most of the time progress is made by learning new techniques. Programming is a very pragmatic art, you learn by doing very often. Even if your not out searching for new exotic algorithms, just the fact of implementing something, working out a problem in your head and translating it into code, that is progress and technique. You are refining it. New algorithms, methodology of the day, will come and go, focus on the craft and process of programming and you'll be fine.

Gaining the discipline to finish a project is important, that maybe is the first step. It's not a simple thing to learn, it involves focusing your desire and creating the time to allow you to finish a project. That is itself a technique you must learn, for yourself, since we are all different in our motivations.

Good Luck!

-ddn

If i get ya, are you asking if by making progress on a project you feel like your sacrificing that time which you could better use learning new "techniques"? Hmm i get ya, but i think it's a false dichotomy.. Most of the time progress is made by learning new techniques. Programming is a very pragmatic art, you learn by doing very often. Even if your not out searching for new exotic algorithms, just the fact of implementing something, working out a problem in your head and translating it into code, that is progress and technique. You are refining it. New algorithms, methodology of the day, will come and go, focus on the craft and process of programming and you'll be fine.

Gaining the discipline to finish a project is important, that maybe is the first step. It's not a simple thing to learn, it involves focusing your desire and creating the time to allow you to finish a project. That is itself a technique you must learn, for yourself, since we are all different in our motivations.

Good Luck!

-ddn

Then I haven't done the first step. Seems to me, I haven't even learn what desciplines must programmers learn throughout their career.

Whatever the case, I first need to start off with my zeroth step, which is here. I just thought of it, but I guessed there's a discipline that regards all problems as decision making. As a programmer, I must decide on the path I choose, and continue to go forth without looking back, unless it's an obvious dead end.

You progress by writing programs. In the process, you will refine your technique.

I think the priority of getting things done over learning new ways to do it depends on the situation. If I am trying to meet a deadline I will focus on progress, or just get something done with the knowledge I already have. I think in most situations I would focus on improving my technique. I always am wanting to learn more and learn to do things better.

So my answer depends on the circumstances.

"Progress" without technique is an illusion.

Thank you for the advices.

"Progress" without technique is an illusion.

I'd say that "Technique" without progress is also an illusion. One cannot improve or accomplish anything without progress. I guess it's somewhat like the chick and the egg, but when developing, it's correlated, one won't get anywhere without either. ... besides progress, obviously, but having only that would be cheating. :-P