We caught up with Brian Doll, VP of Strategy at Github, to find out what he thinks of the UK’s National Coding Week initiative and what he believes is next for another generation of hackers.
Github was founded in 2008 as a shared space for the world’s code.
Do you think initiatives like a National Coding Week are a good idea?
National Coding Week is a great idea that helps to inspire people to get more involved in the creation of software. Across every industry, software has become the raw ingredient of innovation. Increasing coding literacy helps empower more people to help build our future.
What kind of changes have you seen in the people coming into coding since GitHub launched?
Over 34 million people come to GitHub.com every month. For anyone new to software development, much of their early experiences are focused on discovering what projects are already out there, and digging in to read how these programs work. There are 27 million projects on GitHub, so there’s a lot to learn from in any programming language imaginable.
Is coding really something everyone can do?
Like most skills, learning to be a proficient software developer takes a considerable amount of time. However through events like National Coding Week, people can quickly start to learn what coding is, and get an understanding of the fundamentals of software creation. This knowledge can immediately help provide context and confidence for folks working closely with software developers, which includes just about everyone.
How does UK coding compare to the US?
They are quite comparable, actually. Of the 34 million people we see every month on GitHub.com, about 8.7 million are from the US, while 1.6 million are from the UK. As a percentage of the population, however, the numbers are quite close, with the US around 2.74% and the UK around 2.45%.
How do regulators deal with an army of young people with disruptive skills at their fingertips?
Technology has always outpaced policy. Early on in the adoption cycle we typically see a naive impulse to control and restrict access to new technology which stifles innovation. Eventually this thinking gives way to more sensible policies that enables and connects us. As more people become aware of how software and the internet works, we should see policies that enable and encourage its adoption.
Do you think coding has the potential to address global and local inequality?
There are nearly 4 billion people connected to the internet today. Social networks connect us all, social movements spread quickly, charities raise awareness and innovative products are developed and deployed around the world. It’s incredible how impactful we can be by developing software that could immediately reach most of the adult population on the planet.
What is the next big thing that you think will be disrupted via coding?
It’s hard to imagine a business in any industry that won’t be thoroughly challenged and disrupted by software. Biohacking, rovers on Mars, autonomous vehicles… this is all happening today. The next generation will commoditise today’s leading technologies and bring them to the entire planet.
Do you think coders have lost some of the hacktivist spirit as they work the big brands?
Not at all. In fact, a huge amount of open source software today is created by people working for some of the biggest companies around. Additionally, you can see the hacker spirit thriving through the growing popularity of 3D printers, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, GoPro cameras, drones, LittleBits kits, and the like. It’s really incredible to see the sophistication of these DIY projects that are now available to a broad market, fueling the next generation of inventors and hackers.