Is coding like literacy? Yes - but it’s not as likely you’ll have such a nice time imagining the author’s description of lush prairies, barn-scented air, love in spring.
I code in VBA, forecasting stuff - it’s actually fascinating. And changing peoples’ behaviour of the back of that, even more so.
Thing is, literacy-wise, coding is a language, and I’ve got a knack for languages. When I look at someone else’s code you can see into their mind, it’s a naked representation of so many facets of personality that you get a really good image.
A rat is a floor mouse, also called a football. They used to be separate devices people purpose-built back in the days of yore (when men were men, and women were men, and sheep were nervous) but now that laser mice are cheaper than dirt you just duct-tape some foam and/or sandbags to a mouse and throw it under your desk. Sometimes lasers will even work on low-pile carpeting, but you might have to put a board down there.
It’s called a rat because it’s just like a mouse only bigger. It needs to be pretty large to be used by your feet without looking.
The Contraption, which is the (well-named) PC I use at home, is built on top of a treadle sewing machine. I have a couple extra treadle bases laying around, and I keep meaning to convert one of the treadles to serve as a foot-actuated alternative to the mouse scroll wheel and move the Contraption on to that. I like to keep my hands on the keyboard. Still working on the never-ending bathroom rebuild, though, so rebuilding a working PC is low on the list.
