Introduction

Brian Bi's journey from learning C in high school to mastering the language in an industry setting is a fascinating exploration of both the formal and informal learning processes. This article delves into Bi's educational background, the impact of competitive programming, and how his experiences during a Google internship contributed to his deep understanding of the C language.

Early Exposure to C in High School

Brian Bi’s formal introduction to the C programming language came in 9th grade when he took a computer science class. The teacher of this class was exceptional, known for her unique ability to connect with and motivate her students. It was in this class that Bi first began to explore C through problem-solving in competitive programming contests. Over the next few years, Bi expanded his knowledge by participating in various contests, which introduced him to the majority of the standard library containers and algorithms.

High School to Early Career Confusion and Curiosity

The years immediately following high school are somewhat hazy for Bi. Despite acquiring a basic understanding of templates, a foundational element of C , Bi’s technical knowledge of C remained limited. He struggled to understand more complex technical details, such as the purpose of the typename keyword and value initialization. According to a post by Brian Bi, template understanding in C is relatively straightforward, but his own experience shows a lack of curiosity about such technical nuances.

Internship at Google and Real World Challenges

Bi's first significant exposure to C code in a professional setting came during his internship at Google in 2013. Prior to this, he had also done some work at Facebook in 2012, but it was on a much smaller scale. Bi recalls being perplexed by the need to define a pure virtual destructor, a concept he did not fully grasp even after an explanation from his manager. Additionally, another intern on his team expressed concerns about encountering obscure C syntax questions during his job interviews, leading to Bi’s own confusion.

Evaluation Process and Learning Style

Bi’s internship experience was marked by a significant amount of wasted time—often spent searching for food and chatting with colleagues. However, he made a conscious effort to use his time more productively by focusing on Stack Overflow, the platform where he sought and answered questions related to C. His self-taught knowledge came from his interactions and observations on this platform, making him more familiar with the obscure and less well-known aspects of the language.

Conclusion and Lessons Learned

The experience of learning C through competitive programming and then applying it in an industry setting like Google taught Bi the importance of curiosity and practical application. His method of learning, disorganized as it may seem, ultimately led to a deep understanding of the C language. This journey highlights the value of active engagement in programming communities and the role of practice in mastering a skill.