International Programmers Day – September 13, 2022, history, quotes
Programmers Day is celebrated on September 13, or the 256th day of the year. The day honors programmers and innovators who make our lives easier by innovating and designing programs. The day is also known as International Programmers Day, and its celebration is actually based on the binary code! Every programmer knows that 256 is a special number.
It is represented by an eight-bit byte 256 equals 2 to the eighth power. This digit makes it the highest power of two that is less than 365. When translated to binary code, the day reads 1 0000 0000. How cool is that!
HISTORY OF PROGRAMMERS DAY
In 2002, Russian programmers Valentin Balt and Michael Cherviakov of Parallel Technologies got people together and gathered signatures to urge the Russian government to declare Day of the Programmers. But it wasn’t until 2009 that the Ministry of Mass Media and Communications of Russia recognized Programmers Day as an official holiday.
The bill in honor of computer programmers was signed by President Dmitry Medvedev on September 11, 2009. The day is also celebrated on different days in different countries. In China, Programmers Day is October 24, which has been in existence for a long time now. The date was chosen because it can also be written as 1024, which is equal to 210.
In real life, 1024 is usually being treated as 1000, as an interface between binary codes and the decimal world. The day remains consistent regardless of leap years. Before September 13, people unofficially celebrated Programmers Day on January 7. The January 7 celebrations have now become rare.
Programmers Day honors programmers around the world. There is hardly anyone in the modern world who does not benefit from the services of a programmer. Be it transportation or medicine, finance or education, programming is essential to the smooth functioning of every service.
Almost all major businesses require programmers to maintain their IT infrastructure. Telecommunications is also heavily reliant on programmers. The automobile industry needs programmers for the smooth functioning of the assembly lines. Programmers also help with maintaining security, society, and entertainment. We need programmers for the latest in protection, design, and innovation.
PROGRAMMERS DAY TIMELINE
1822
The Invention of the Difference Engine
Charles Babbage invents the difference engine.
1949
ShortCode
Von Neumann invents the language ShortCode.
1957
FORTRAN
The first major language appears in the form of FORTRAN.
1958
LISt Processing
John McCarthy creates the LISt Processing (or LISP) language, designed for Artificial Intelligence (AI) research.
HOW TO CELEBRATE PROGRAMMERS DAY
Develop your programming skills
Even if you are not a programmer, you can try learning basic programming on Programmers Day. Take an online tutorial and or ask a programmer friend to help out.
Take courses to boost your career
The learning never stops for a programmer. Sign up for an advanced course and learn more about programming and languages to boost your career.
Mentor a friend
Know someone who wants to learn how to program or is struggling to program? Offer to help them out on Programmers Day.
5 FACTS ABOUT COMPUTERS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
The first programmer was a woman
Ada Lovelace is the first known programmer in history.
Garages have been the hub of innovation
Major brands like Apple and HP started in garages.
Some computer parts were made of wood
The first mouse was constructed out of wood.
Most mail is spam
Almost 80% of mail in the U.S. is spam.
Hackers are prolific
They write about 6,000 new viruses each month.
WHY WE LOVE PROGRAMMERS DAY
Celebrates an essential skill
Virtually every industry today is dependent on programmers. Programmers Day recognizes the essential role that programmers and programming play in the modern world.
A day to learn a new skill
Programmers Day is also celebrated by motivating others and yourself to learn the basics of programming. It’s a good day to learn a new skill and learn more about what you might already know.
It has a rich history
Programming has a long and rich history that’s more than 200 years old. Programmers Day looks back at all the progress that has been achieved through the years.
PROGRAMMERS DAY FAQS
How do you celebrate Programmers Day?
You can celebrate Programmers Day by
Decorating a tree with ones and zeroes to make it binary
Organizing a themed binary party
Writing a wish in ASCII code
Holding a contest for the best programming joke
What is the 256th day of 2021?
The 256th day of 2021 is September 13, or Programmers Day.
What do programmers actually do?
Computer programmers design, develop, and test software and ensure software adheres to best practices in performance, reliability, and security. Computer programmers can work developing mobile applications, coding video games, programming websites, and much more.
