Week 3: Why Geeks Should Write

The argument is one that, despite my somewhat limited exposure to the field of computer science, I find surfaces quite frequently - that effective writing and communication skills are essential for success (especially in a professional context). The other trend I've noticed is that CS students undervalue the merit of the argument as often as it's raised. To me, Spolsky's article accurately outlines the current situation in the programming field: that experience and writing skills serve to filter through a large volume of otherwise skilled programmers. In so collaborative and technical a field, a comprehensive, readable product is something employers value greatly; it's not something to be dismissed as a gimmick associated with CS courses.