Take your Kotlin to the next step, abandon what you’ve learned (in Java)

Often Kotlin developers have a Java background. For many of us, that is actually the reason why we love Kotlin so much.

But although we know and like the new features Kotlin gives us, we often hold on to concepts from the Java world. What’s once learned is not easily forgotten. To go Kotlin all the way, we need to unlearn some of those things. But how do we actually learn things and can unlearn what we need to? Let's dive all the way into Kotlin spiced with a bit of Neuroscience.

Transcript

1. Embrace change Abandon what you’ve learned @PreusslerBerlin
2. https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/how-to-conquer-your-fear-of-trying-new-things.html From an evolutionary standpoint, trying new things, for much of human history, could have been dangerous
3. Dean Burnett, Neuroscientist, author We have a threat-detection system that [..] tags anything unusual or unknown [..], That's what's kept us alive for millions of years
4. MINDSETS
5. fixed-mindset prevent them from evolving in the acquisition of skills … outside their comfort zone. “Mindset”, Dr. Carol Dweck
6. growth-mindset certain amount of curiosity, ease and perseverance in solving difficult problems “Mindset”, Dr. Carol Dweck
9. we learn new knowledge by reference to those we already know. We focus on the points of similarity between them to select the information that reaches the brain. http://www.anewya.co.in/why-learn-unlearn-relearn
11. What got you here won’t get you there. Book title by Marshall Goldsmith
12. © Christina Lee, KotlinConf 2019
13. It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent [..] It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. Charles Darwin
14. Pascal
15. C/C++
16. Java
17. Kotlin
18. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. Alvin Toffler, Author, Futurist
19. CONSTANTS
20. Constants In Java: static final In Kotlin: const val But where?
21. Constants
22. Constants
23. Constants
24. Constants
25. https://twitter.com/PreusslerBerlin/status/1305565623867633666 Constants
26. TIME TO UNLEARN
27. .. is not about forgetting. It’s about the ability to choose an alternative mental model or paradigm. https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-the-problem-with-learning-is-unlearning
28. The process of unlearning: 1.) Recognize that the old mental model is no longer relevant or effective. This is a challenge because we are usually unconscious of our mental models https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-the-problem-with-learning-is-unlearning
29. The process of unlearning: 2.) Find or create a new model that can better achieve your goals. Careful, you will probably see this new model through the lens of the old. https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-the-problem-with-learning-is-unlearning
30. The process of unlearning: 3.) Ingrain the new mental habits https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-the-problem-with-learning-is-unlearning
31. GET FUNCTIONAL
32. Get functional
33. Get functional
34. The tools we use have a profound (and devious) influence on our thinking habits, and, therefore, on our thinking abilities. Edsger W. Dijkstra
35. OPERATORS
36. Operators Thinking of … ? a + b a.plus(b) a > b a.compareTo(b) > 0 a in b b.contains(a) a..b a.rangeTo(b)
37. Operators
38. Operators
39. Operators
40. Developing an original and creative idea requires the simultaneous activation of two [..] perhaps even contradictory -- networks University of Haifa 2015 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151119104105.htm
41. WHAT GOES ON IN THE MINDS OF PROGRAMMERS WHEN THEY READ CODE?
42. Understanding Understanding Source Code with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging University of Passau, University of Magdeburg, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Metop Research Institute, 2014 http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~ckaestne/pdf/icse14_fmri.pdf Studying programming in the neuroage: just a crazy idea? Chemnitz University of Technology, 2020 https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3347093 Studies
43. To our surprise, we could not observe any activity in the direction of mathematical or logical thinking, ... https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-language-brain-scans-reveal-coding.html
44. The image data clearly showed activation in the test subjects' left brain areas, which are mainly associated with speech comprehension. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-language-brain-scans-reveal-coding.html
45. NAMES
46. COBOL variable names [..] can use any of the uppercase alphabet characters, the digits 0 through 9, and the hyphen (but not as a starting character).
47. Kotlin Something inside us cringe
48. social missteps activate regions in the brain, [..] that have been previously associated with physical pain. University of Michigan, University of Colorado, Boulder, Columbia University, New York Psychiatric Institute, https://sciencephenomena.wordpress.com/2015/05/10/the-neurological-aspect-of-cringing/
49. When people express opinions that differ from yours, take it as a chance to grow. Be curious, not defensive. http://www.anewya.co.in/why-learn-unlearn-relearn
50. Practicing unlearning will make it easier and quicker to make the shifts as your brain adapts. https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-the-problem-with-learning-is-unlearning
51. PROPERTIES
52. Properties
53. Properties
54. Properties
55. Properties
56. Properties
57. Properties
58. Properties
59. DELEGATES
60. Property Delegates
61. Property Delegates
62. Property Delegates
63. Property Delegates
64. Property Delegates
65. Property Delegates
66. Property Delegates
67. Property Delegates
68. Property Delegates
69. Property Delegates
70. Property Delegates
71. Property Delegates
72. Property Delegates
73. Property Delegates
74. EXTENSION FUNCTIONS
75. Extension functions
76. Extension functions
77. Conceptual Affinity. Certain bits of code want to be near other bits. They have a certain conceptual affinity. The stronger that affinity, the less vertical distance there should be between them. (Clean Code, Robert Martin)
78. Extension functions
79. Extension functions
80. Extension functions
81. Property Delegates
82. Property Delegates
83. Think outside the box!
84. Think outside the box!?
85. When you look at the neuroscience of creativity, you see that it’s physically impossible for your brain to “Think outside the box.” http://www.jaredvolle.com/why-thinking-outside-the-box-is-completely-wrong/
86. That’s simply not how the brain is wired. It’s like asking your brain to fire a neuron that doesn’t exist. http://www.jaredvolle.com/why-thinking-outside-the-box-is-completely-wrong/
87. There is nothing outside of “the box” except for more boxes. [..] the trick is to think between boxes. http://www.jaredvolle.com/why-thinking-outside-the-box-is-completely-wrong/
88. GENERICS
89. Generics • Kotlin generics offer some new changes • Don’t be afraid if reified syntax
90. Generics
91. Generics
92. Generics
93. Generics
94. HOW TO GET THERE?
95. Habits • Habits are the brain’s internal drivers • brain forms neuronal connections based on what you do repeatedly in your life — both good and bad. • Every time you act in the same way, a specific neuronal pattern is stimulated and becomes strengthened in your brain.
97. How to get there - Unlearn: build new models w/o looking through old lenses - Connect the boxes - Practise - Change habits
98. Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits Mark Twain
99. You tell me, I forget. You teach me, I remember. You involve me, I learn Benjamin Franklin
100. When your brain expects a reward even [..], you are more likely to pursue the new routine and stick to it. https://medium.com/swlh/to-break-bad-habits-you-really-have-to-change-your-brain-the-neurosci ence-of-change-da735de9afdf
103. Thank you • World’s largest open audio platform • Founded in 2007 • 200 million tracks, 25 million creators • What’s next in music is first on SoundCloud
104. Further reads • https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-language-brain-scans-reveal-coding.html • https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-programming-affects-brain/ • https://medium.com/swlh/to-break-bad-habits-you-really-have-to-change-your-brain-the-neuroscience-of-chang e-da735de9afdf • https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151119104105.htm • http://www.jaredvolle.com/why-thinking-outside-the-box-is-completely-wrong/ • https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/how-to-conquer-your-fear-of-trying-new-things.html • https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-the-problem-with-learning-is-unlearning • https://thriveglobal.com/stories/unlearning-to-learn/ • https://proandroiddev.com/keep-your-interfaces-simple-e025d515e3b9 • https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ176FUIyIUY6SKGl3Cj9yeYibBuRr3Hl&app=desktop
105. Thank you @PreusslerBerlin