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I don't know, if someone randomly asks me to tell them about programming, I'd reply that it's the ability to make the computer do what I want it to do by speaking a language it understands. That'd shut most people up while giving them a basic understanding.

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I was assuming that they were asking you to teach them to program, or at least give them a comprehensive survey of the field. What you said is the obvious short answer for people who are just asking to be polite or to get an idea of what you do.

Ah, well of course, teaching them how is another matter entirely.

Let's assume I have just said 'I do X for company Y'. Your next response might be along the lines of a) What languages/tools do you use?, b) What's a peptide?, c) Did you watch Daniel Hillis' Ted talk?, or d) I just published a phylogenetic pruning algorithm on arxiv, you should check it out.

Seems to me that there is a lot to be learned through conversation, even when neither party is doing any teaching.

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