I think one of the problems that we have in learning 'how' is that it is very easy to explain why you have chosen a particular solution, but it is not easy to go through and explain why you did not choose the near infinite number of other solutions that were available for the task. It is this negative knowledge that is so hard to communicate.

When I am training up junior programmers, I spend a lot of time explaining to them why I have chosen certain patterns in the code that they should use. Nevertheless, they invariably come back with 'yes, but why don't we do it this other way?" and then I have to explain to them the problems that that solution will lead to.

This article makes a false argument. It somehow seems to categorize programming as being different than other disciplines, and argues that programming needs "knowledge how". But this is really the case for virtually everything. What isn't best learned by practice? That's how you best learn math, plumbing, mowing the grass, writing, reading, circuit design, cooking, research, shooting free throws, etc...

In fact, everyone here knows about the popular 10,000 hours of deliberate practice rule. No one achieves competency through Matrix like osmosis -- not even programmers.

And I think what the author is missing when he/she goes to these conferences is that a conference session is a jumping off point. It's a place say, "I didn't realize you could animate that with that technique." And then you go home and try it and practice it. It's not about mastery at the conference, but awareness of something worth pursuing more.

I tend to agree with this and don't buy the idea that college is necessary to give you a broad overview of a discipline. Sure, if you learn only one method of doing something, you are not exposing yourself to other ways. But whats to stop you from finding out about these other ways. This information is easier then ever to find. Surely the time for hand-me down curation (academia style) is approaching its end.

"When I go to conferences about design I see a lot of declarative knowledge."

It's because he went to design CONFERENCE, not design WORKSHOP. The nature of conference speech is so much different from workshop.

The author has a point, but the post itself is pretty light and the discussion here seems to reflect that.