How to Do Things with Source Code: Reading Open Source

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In this talk I will draw attention to, and explore the fact that we teach our authors to write by reading, but our programmers to write by writing. We have now come to understand that Open Source provides developers, and therefore users, a rich and ready pool of reusable operating systems, libraries, and applications. It is also clear that Open Source software lowers licensing and related costs for companies relying on technology. What has been overlooked, however, is that Open Source projects are an incredible resource for educators, students, and developers wishing to learn how to write programs by reading the work of programmers better than themselves. There are reasons why developers have typically shunned other programmers’ work, why programming students are not taught how to obtain and build source code, let alone read, understand, and appreciate it. These reasons will be explored, and possible solutions presented.



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David Humphrey, Professor, School of Computer Studies - Seneca College

David Humphrey is a professor in the School of Computer Studies at Seneca College. He teaches programming and specializes in object-oriented languages, with a focus on C# and the .NET Framework. He is a founding member of the Centre for the Development of Open Technology (CDOT) at Seneca College. David received his M.A. from the University of Toronto in English Literature, and when he isn't reading literary theory he writes Open Source software.