The term programmer is one we hear quite often. It is more of an umbrella term, meaning there are quite a few programming professions out there. Not all of them have the term programming in the title. From a web developer to a software engineer, there are many programming roles to celebrate on International Programmers Day!
What is Programming?
Programming is using a language that a machine can understand to get it to perform various tasks. Computer programming is how we communicate with machines in a way that makes them function how we need.
History of International Programmers Day:
In 2002, two Russian employees of Parallel Technologies petitioned to have the government of Russia celebrate the Day of the Programmer. By 2009 the President of Russia signed the decree to recognize Programmers Day as an official holiday. Despite Programmers’ Day not being an official holiday in the US, it is in fact still observed by programmers and non-programmers alike.
Programmers Day is celebrated on the 256th day of the year, which is usually September 13th, as long as there is not a leap year. According to Wikipedia:
“The number 256 (2 to the eighth power) was chosen because it is the number of distinct values that can be represented with an eight-bit byte, a value well-known to programmers. 256 is also the highest power of two that is less than 365, the number of days in a common year.”
To any non-programmer that explanation seems a little crazy when picking a date to celebrate something! Whatever bytes their bit!
Why is it Important to Know Programming?
As of 2019, there are 4.2 million programmers in the US. Programmers are a huge part of our business and any business for that matter. Knowing how to code is one of the most important skills to have. Being able to communicate with machines and computers allows us to reduce the chances of introducing errors and wasting time by debugging and correcting mistakes.
Programming is a process, with 3 very important phases:
- Problem Identification and Solving Phase
- Implementation Phase
- Maintenance Phase.
All three of the processes are important for computer programmers/software developers so that they can problem solve. Programming is the base that builds the infrastructure of a product. Without programming, computers and the internet don’t exist. Meaning we can’t communicate.
The Importance of Programmers at Sierra Experts:
Here at Sierra Experts, we have programmers who troubleshoot, write code, design, perform testing, and maintain source code. They will leverage their expertise to ensure the software development is in accordance with industry standards and best practices in performance, reliability, and security for both us and our customers.
Check out our Managed Services page for more information on how Sierra Experts can help you or your business:
