Ayman wroteI don't think anyone here is against that everyone knowing how to program. The advantages mentioned by xterm are definitely valid. But I think the problem is with the video on the page linked (code.org).
It's an advertisement Ayman. Who falls for such things?
It actually gets annoying when Mark Zuckerburg discuss jobs and careers. At the beginning they mention how easy it is to get started which may give some of the audience a false impression about the whole process of building software for a living being trivial.
I don't think anyone will take that impression, if Michael Jordan said "It's easy to get started, all you need is a ball", would that give people false impression that its all it takes to become the best basketball player of all time?
They're luring the masses to learn how to program based on false information. People who want to program should not be attracted into the domain through money, fame, and working in a billion dollar company. Because the odds of that happening through programming could be lower or just as equal as in any other domain.
Your problem is how things get advertised Ayman, its not the topic at hand
Students should learn to code. Why are we still mixing these two issues together?
Driving people by material or social gains to learn is stupid, its just like telling someone who is clueless about accounting: "Learn accounting online and you'll be an auditor at a bank". Instead it should be: "Learn accounting because of it helps you manage your expenses, makes you better understand the balance sheets of your business etc..".
Check the quotes below the video, some extracts:
Arianna Huffington
Founder, The Huffington Post
“Learning to code is useful no matter what your career ambitions are. “
Todd Park
U.S. Chief Technology Officer
“Technology and computers are very much at the core of our economy going forward. To be prepared for the demands of the 21st century—and to take advantage of its opportunities—it is essential that more of our students today learn basic computer programming skills, no matter what field of work they want to pursue.“
Larry Corey
President, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
“Computers are an increasingly essential part of understanding cancer and developing new therapies. Knowledge of computer programming is almost as important as knowledge of anatomy when it comes to medical research or clinical care. “
John Thune
U.S. Senator, South Dakota
“Whether our children want to become farmers, doctors, teachers, or entrepreneurs, it’ll be easier for them to achieve their dreams in the digital age if they have some background in computer science. We need our children to learn 21st century skills for a 21st century world, and coding teaches them the creativity and problem-solving skills that are necessary for success.“
and more.
Who would you pick to show in a video? Bill Gates or
Insert random senator here?